… says ‘Too Sharp’ Allen
NATIONAL light heavyweight champion Kwesi ‘Lightning Struck’ Jones promised to take all that USA-based Lennox ‘Too Sharp’ Allen has to offer including the vicious left hand and dish out his own punches when the two meet for the WBC/CABOFE super middleweight title tomorrow night. In an invited comment to such a statement yesterday, Allen who arrived in Guyana the previous night to keep his ring date on the Guyana Boxing Board of Control’s (GBBC) card dubbed RAMPAGE, said, ‘he don’t know what I have to offer.”
“I can punch with both hands, so it does not matter what he says. He talking about taking my left hand is impossible as I am a complete fighter who can put punches together, so I find his comment very awkward and I intend to make it so Saturday (tomorrow) night,” stated Allen.
The 25-year-old New York State super middleweight champion, whose professional ring record reads 14-0-1 with nine knockouts, and his match-maker Bobb Duffy took the time out from their rest to speak with certain sections of the media at the Regency Suites on Hadfield Street.
He last fought in January of this year, where he knocked out Jesse Orta in the second round of their eight-round encounter, while he scored a seventh round TKO over Niock Bronson to win the New York State super middleweight title in November of last year.
When quizzed on his thoughts of facing Jones, who knocked out Leon ‘The Lion’ Gilkes to take the national light heavyweight title on the March edition of the GBBC Friday Night Fights (FNF), Allen said it’s not a step forward but he is doing it for certain reasons.
“This fight is not a step forward for me, but it can land me a top 15 or 20 ranking in the World Boxing Council and after consultation with Duffy, he told me to take it but as with every other fight, I will treat it the same, which is just another fight.
“I don’t expect much from him, even though he is stronger, as I know boxing is far more than just being strong, while I don’t think he has the technique to get past me, despite his words which will come up empty-handed for him Saturday night,” said Allen.
The lanky 6’ 11” Allen was a natural born standout, amateur boxer in his heyday, prior to turning pro seven years ago and, facing opponents in Guyana, Australia, Indonesia and Upstate New, he went on to become a sparring partner for Bernard Hopkins.
“I don’t know what Jones tells himself or what impression he is trying to lay on his fans, but come Saturday night, the rough edges he has will be sharpened or better yet made smooth as he will be facing Lennox ‘Too Sharp’ Allen and I am more than willing to do the job for him.
According to Allen, working with Hopkins who is the WBC light heavyweight champion, helped him a lot with the fistic sport, since he feels Hopkins is one of the smartest fighters in the game today.
“I must say I am a little nervous fighting in front of my fans at home for the first time in a long time. Everyone expects a lot from you and you don’t want to disappoint the fans. The reason why I am working so hard for this fight is because everyone is expecting a lot. It’s a motivation tool and I don’t wish to disappoint anyone, not even my matchmaker,” stated Allen.
Other fights on the card will see Elton ‘Coolie Bully’ Dharry and Dexter Marques battling for the WBC/CABOFE bantamweight title, while Mitchell Rogers and Kurt Bess will do battle for Rogers’ national heavyweight title.
Cecil Smith and Ray Sandiford will meet in a four-rounder to start the night’s proceedings at 20:00hrs, before Winston Pompey and Edmond De Clou meet in a super middleweight eliminator encounter that will last for six rounds, with the winner guaranteed a shot at Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman’s national super middleweight title.