Jones and Tyson record wins, Austin and Atwell battle to draw
THE eighth edition of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) in collaboration with the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) ProAm Friday Night Fights (FNF) lived up to its expectations, with Debbie Tyson and Kwesi Jones recording victories over their opponents. While Tyson and Jones were the toast of the night with their respective victories over Pauline London and Howard Eastman, Clive Atwell and Mark Austin fought to a majority draw in the first professional bout after Simeion Hardy was declared medically unfit to face Gavin Williams in their debut match-up.
“I would love to have a rematch with him, as I will be looking to finish what I started and at the same time, come better and stronger for him.”
Those were the words of the 22-year-old Austin after the results of their epic battle was announced, as he felt he had defeated the Antigua and Barbuda-based Atwell, an opponent he was scheduled to make his debut against on the same FNF four months ago.
A right hook from Atwell, who displayed nice ring movements in the early seconds of the round, pushed Austin back before he (Austin) responded with a few combinations to the body of Atwell to finish the round.
The second and third rounds were similar to that of the first, with both fighters trading punches in the middle of the ring and on the ropes, while a left hand from Austin found its mark on the chin of Atwell when the fourth round began, with both boxers being urged on by the near packed-to-capacity venue.
Austin followed up his left hook which he used to good effect, with several unanswered combinations to the body of Atwell who reverted to holding his opponent as the punches took effect on him and when the judges made their announcement, a tearful Atwell left the ring while Austin was all smiles.
At the press conference which was held in the studios of NCN Channel 11, London said she would live in the face of Tyson from the first round to the fourth and final one, but it was the opposite, as Tyson utilised her jabs (both left and right) to good effect to not only keep London at bay, but frustrate her throughout the contest.
Tyson’s jabs were followed by combinations to the body of London who was looking for that one punch scenario and whenever she went for the wild swing, Tyson telegraphed same to rock her top half out of the way and respond with her jabs which left London’s face slightly swollen.
Every jab was followed by oohs and aahs from the crowd and a pumped-up Tyson, who said she was walking with four tanks of gas in comparison to the two she walked with for their first encounter, followed her jabs with some crisp combinations to the body.
London did get in a few body shots late in the fourth round, but by then, it was all over bar the shouting and when ringside announcer Basil Bradshaw declared Tyson the winner by a majority decision, it was the 42-year-old mother of three who did a little jig in the ring, much to the amusement of those gathered including Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport Alfred King.
World Boxing Council (WBC)/Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) light heavyweight champion Shawn Cox proved he has dominion over local journeyman Leon ‘The Lion’ Gilkes, when he pummelled his way to an unanimous decision in their light heavyweight exhibition encounter.
Gilkes had a few crowning moments of the encounter, including landing the first punch, a right uppercut to the body of Cox, who responded with several combinations to the body of his opponent whom he had defeated twice before.
Both boxers traded combinations in the second round, before Cox unleashed four unanswered left uppercuts to the body of Gilkes along with numerous combinations which left his opponent standing on wobbly legs when the bell was sounded.
Both the third and fourth rounds were no different from the first two, with Cox, whose manager and handler Samuel Layne of Barbados wore a broad grin on his face throughout the battle, gaining the upper hand when he sent Gilkes to the canvas in the dying stages of the third round.
Gilkes’ response to being knocked down was several combinations to the body of Cox which seemed to have little or no effect on the Barbados-based pugilist, as he (Cox) responded by backing Gilkes to the corner and unleashing several unanswered combinations, as he did early in the fight.
They certainly set the tone for the Eastman/Jones clash which failed to live up to the hype created, as it was a dull one in comparison to the Atwell/Austin and Tyson/London match-up, as both fighters exhibited respect for each other and even though Jones won by a unanimous decision, the performance left much to be desired when it came to the heavier fighters in the fistic sport.
On the amateur side of things, Forgotten Youth Foundation’s (FYF) Dexter Wray hardly worked up a sweat in his bout against Republican’s Daneshwar Narine, as the latter refused to answer the bell for the second round of their three-round, junior flyweight contest.
Ron Smith from Timehri created an upset when he defeated Laurex Stewart of FYF by a 2-1 decision while Eon Bancroft and Markenber Pierre of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) defeated Republican gymmates Alfred Benjamin and Trelon Munroe, with Bancroft gaining a 2-1 decision while Pierre stopped his man within 54 seconds of the first round.