Sixth GBBC/GABA ProAm Fights
JUDGING from the heated exchange of words which boiled over to the press conference between Debbie Tyson and Pauline London, the sixth edition of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC)/Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) ProAm Friday Night Fights is expected to be a scorcher tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH). At the signing of the contract which took place in the boardroom of Abdool and Abdool’s Insurance Brokers office, London promised to bust up Tyson’s mouth, who responded by challenging her opponent to put her purse on the line, making it a winner-take-all contest, but London refused.
Apparently not satisfied that Tyson was ignoring her ‘empty-mouthed threats’, London reportedly continued to make same during the press conference on Tuesday afternoon in the studios of National Communications Network (NCN) Channel 11.
The 42-year-old Tyson, who took a self-imposed sabbatical from the sport following a loss to Sharon Ward, expressed her confidence going into the fight and promised to punish London for her mouth in an earlier interview with this reporter.
“She will be punished for her mouth and even the inability to back it up. She can’t even walk well, let alone stand up properly on her two feet and she wants to bust up my mouth. Well I can protect my mouth but the question is whether she can protect her own?
“I am going out there to box and prove that at my age, I still possess the technique and ability to demand my respect in the ring from persons like she. I am a natural athlete and one who is crafty, something I have developed through hours of working in the gym and she will see all that and more on Friday (tonight).”
In the curtain-raiser for the professional segment of the card which will have four amateur bouts serving as an appetiser, Shawn Pyle, who is scheduled to fight for a CABOFFE title in Barbados sometime next month, will take on Mark Austin and he is confident of victory.
According to Pyle, Austin is no match for him, simply because that fighter’s style opens him to be easily taken apart; hence he will be using it as a stepping stone for his opponent whom he will be facing for the CABOFE title.
But Austin promised not to be a stepping stone to any boxer and is intent on showing the local boxing fraternity that he has the artillery and ring craft to prevent same from occurring.
Troy Lewis is back in action following his one-month suspension after he was involved in a brawl with national welterweight champion Iwan Azore in the fourth edition of this card and he will be facing Linden’s Edmond De Clou, who in his own rights is no pushover in the squared circle.
Nevertheless, Lewis is looking past De Clou as he has his eyes on a rematch with the Trinidad and Tobago-based Azore who has vowed to not only grant same, but also teach Lewis a lesson when they meet again.
In the main bout, Anthony ‘Six Pack’ Augustine would be looking to make it two out of three when he faces Kurt Best in a heavyweight encounter.
Many would remember Augustine, who came off a loss on his professional debut to Mitchell Rogers in the first edition of the ProAm card, to defeat local journeyman Leon ‘The Lion’ Gilkes by a unanimous decision in the fifth stanza.
Such a victory has increased his hunger for success and he was not hesitant to predict his second victory over Best who refused to lie down and play possum and has guaranteed his small band of supporters a victory over Augustine tonight.
As is customary on the GBBC/GABA ProAm cards to date, the nation’s amateur boxers will kick things off with their three-round encounters which always set the tone for the professional side of things.
In tonight’s amateur bouts, Keeve Allicock will fight Michael Jordan, Benjamin Henry will have his work cut out against Richard Williamson, Kelsey George is scheduled to challenge Rayon Hernandes while Ron Smith and Simeon Hardy will complete that roster.
All amateur fighters will be presented with a hamper compliments of Courts (Guyana) Limited, one of the sponsors of the ProAm card, along with Ansa McAl, Digicel and Guyana Oil Company.
Admission to the CASH for tonight’s action which gets under way at 20:00 h is $500 while those who are unable to make their way to the venue can still cash in on the action via NCN Channel 11 who will be carrying a live broadcast.