MARK Austin, one of Guyana’s young and up-coming fighters, just had his career catapulted when he inked his contract to fight Barbados’ Miguel ‘Hands of Stone’ Antoine over 10 rounds for the newly established Commonwealth Regional lightweight tile on February 25. The Cliff Anderson Sports Hall will host the fight which will be held on the monthly Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) Friday Night Fights.
At a simple but yet significant press conference yesterday, president of the GBBC, Peter Abdool, called the match something magical for young fighters, given the potential of the two gladiators.
Austin might have only five fights under his belt but that doesn’t negate the fact that he’s unarguably one of the better fighters in the lighter divisions in Guyana and while boasting a similar unblemished record, Antoine is earning the reputation of being the Caribbean’s best in the Lightweight division.
The Barbadian Antoine has 13 fights, nine of which he put his opponent on the canvas. In 2009 he defeated Guyanese Revlon Blake for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) Light Welterweight title, but was later stripped of the belt due to inactivity of the sport in his native land.
However, Antoine made his maiden voyage to these shores on December 3 last year, when he stopped Shawn Pile with a third-round TKO, making him the third Guyanese to taste defeat at his hands, following Lake and Paul Lewis, both of whom he defeated via the technical knock-out route.
Speaking with reporters yesterday, Abdool, who also wears the cap of WBC CABOFE President, explained that the decision was taken less than a month ago by the Commonwealth to have various regions have different titles so to keep the game afloat in their faction of the sport since, due to high travelling cost, “sometimes it has proved impossible to bring fighters from different territories that fall under the Commonwealth”.
Abdool further explained that most of the top fighters in the Commonwealth live between Europe and Africa with the majority being from the latter, and with the escalating ticket prices, getting around is often hampered, … so the decision had to be taken to have regional titles and those at the top of their respective divisions meet to declare an overall champion.
Abdool says that the move by the Commonwealth governing body will create a number of opportunities not only for Guyanese, but also for fighters from the Caribbean.
Asked what were his thoughts about the matchup, Abdool said that even if the two did not get the Commonwealth title chance. It was a match just waiting to happen. He was approached by Austin after Antoine had demolished Shawn Pile, with the Guyanese saying, “I want to fight him”.
The always confident Austin said that he’s optimistic of pulling off a victory and will be intensifying his workout in preparation for his bout.
“I don’t have much too say at this point, just that I will be working out very hard. I’m heading to Linden to train and so I can focus. This is a very important fight for me and I will be looking forward to meeting him (Antoine) and I know I will win,” Austin said.
Meanwhile, the Friday Night fights will also feature another ‘Bajan’ – Gabriel Roberts – who will match gloves with Guyana’s Rudolph Fraser over four rounds and former national bantamweight champion Dexter Marques is down to do battle with Hewley Robertson.
Simeon Hardy and Clifton Barker are also scheduled to oppose each other in the square circle. The lone female clash of the evening will see Veronica Blackman meet Mandessa Moses.