‘Lightning Hitman’ Jones looking at Commonwealth title shot
NATIONAL light heavyweight champion Kwesi ‘Lightning Hitman ’ Jones has set his sights on a shot at the light heavyweight Commonwealth title, after he disposes of Lennox ‘Too Sharp’ Allen in their World Boxing Council’s (WBC)/CABOFE super middleweight title clash this Saturday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH). The two will meet in the feature bout of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC)-organised ‘RAMPAGE’ with Jones eagerly looking forward to the matchup and beyond it.
Speaking with Chronicle Sport at the Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis gym, the 26-year-old Jones informed he has to lose weight to battle Allen, but while that may be a deterrent to some, for him it’s a motivation as he intends to prove his superiority over his opponent.
“In terms of fighting Allen, I have to drop weight and that in itself is stress, but I have been training hard and working even harder with my sparring partners, so definitely, this will be a fight that can be compared to the name given to the card, as it will be a rampage.”
He continued, “The loss of the weight is an uneasy feeling as one part, but being in the ring to actually fight is another. I am throwing the weight loss campaign behind me and focusing on doing the necessaries that will land me the title at the end of the day this Saturday.
“The mere fact that he is asking me to come down in weight to fight him tells me that he is afraid to do battle with me in my weight division, something that he would have been able to reach much easier, than having me lose the weight.”
“However, while the light heavyweight is my division of which I am the national champion, I intend to go out there and show the public that Kwesi Jones can do battle with anyone in any division at any time, irrespective of their record,” posited Jones.
Asked to reveal what his game plans are for the speedy Allen who is known to pack a vicious left hand, Jones, whose record stands at 7-1, with his lone loss coming at the hands of Edmond De Clou two years ago, said he plans to step to the left hand and take its best shot, while applying the pressure to Allen.
“I will be looking to apply the pressure to him from the sound of the first bell to the last, with the intentions of stepping up to that left hand of his and taking whatever he dishes out, while dealing him a few blows of my own, which I hope he can take.
“Everybody knows Kwesi Jones is a light heavyweight and I can take a shot so definitely I will take his shot. The question is: will he be able to take mine when I share it?” asked Jones.
Jones recorded a technical knockout victory over Leon ‘The Lion’ Gilkes inside 1:55 of the fifth round to take the light heavyweight title in March in a bout where he was originally scheduled to face Barbados-based Cleveland Fraser for the title.
Asked about a matchup against either Fraser or Gilkes, Jones said “When it comes to Gilkes, I am not looking back. He had his opportunity and he blew it, while Fraser said I am keeping the belt for him, as he was preparing to take on my buddy Kurt Bess.
If Fraser thinks he has what it takes to beat me, then he can step up to the plate and issue the challenge. But what he needs to take into consideration is that the licking he got from Bess would be nothing in comparison to the one I would give to him when that time comes.”
Prior to defeating Gilkes, Jones fought and scored a unanimous decision win over Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman on the GBBC Friday Night Fights (FNF), of which RAMPAGE is a culmination and now has his eyes set on the Commonwealth title.
“When I defeat Allen and claim the WBC/CABOFE super middleweight title Saturday night, I will relinquish it as I have no intentions of coming back down in weight to defend it. Whosoever wishes to meet me, will have to step up to the light heavyweight division and do so.
However, I would like to have a crack at the Commonwealth title, while the opportunity of facing the WBC/CABOFE light heavyweight champion Shawn Corbin can materialise within the first quarter of next year but for now, Allen is the man to get out of the way.”
Other fights on the card will see Bess and Mitchell Rogers battling for the national heavyweight title, Dexter Marques and Elton Dharry clashing for the WBC/CABOFE bantamweight title, Cecil Smith going up against Ray Sandiford and De Clou taking on Winston Pompey in an eliminator with the winner meeting Eastman at a later date for the national super middleweight title.
Admission to the venue would be $1 500 for stands and $3 000 for ringside, with the action set to punch off at 20:00hrs.