Time for talking is over
THE Cliff Anderson Sports Hall will be buzzing with activity from 20:00hrs tonight, when the 15th edition of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), in collaboration with the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) hosts its 15th ProAm Friday Night Fights. The time for trash-talking and verbal threats will expire tonight when the eight professional pugilists step into the squared circle to do battle in their respective fights against their opponents. The main bout will feature Mark Austin and Barbados-based Revlon Lake for the national lightweight title.
Earlier this year, Austin told this publication that it was his dream to do battle for a title whether it is a national or the World Boxing Council/Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) title. Now that he gets the opportunity to fulfil such a dream, all eyes would be looking to see the performance he displays tonight.
The two first met on last year’s FNF in October, where Austin won a unanimous decision in a four-round encounter in a fight many thought Lake had won, while the judges had other ideas.
This time around, Austin promises to leave a lasting impression on his way to taking the title, clearing the minds of the doubters who felt he lost the first encounter.
“I am coming off a pretty tough fight against Miguel Antoine where I suffered my first loss after having an impressive start to my professional career, but I must say that I have learnt a lot, following that loss, which was a great experience for me.
“I am looking forward to this fight, since many thought I lost the first one when we clashed. This time around I will be looking to set the record straight, proving to him and his fans that I am the better fighter and if a knockout presents itself, certainly I will be taking it as it will make the victory better,” said Austin.
Austin’s record reads 5-1-1 in comparison to Lake’s 4-5-2. Hence it would interesting to see who takes home the bacon and bragging rights in this encounter tonight.
But while Austin is looking to stamp his authority over his opponent, Trinidad and Tobago-based Joel McRae (7-1-1) has warned boxing fans and enthusiasts who turn up at the venue tonight, not to blink when he faces Denny ‘Deadly’ Dalton (16-10-1) over six rounds in a super middleweight encounter.
“I am feeling great and I am in top condition and looking forward to fighting Dalton (tonight), but to those who would be coming to the Sports Hall, please, don’t blink, less you miss the knockout punch that will be thrown by me,” said the dreadlocked McRae.
Dalton is going into the fight with four consecutive losses, suffered at the hands of Hector ‘Macho’ Camacho Jr, Rawle Frank, Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman and Kevin Placide, but is looking to put those behind him and start afresh.
“No boxer or for that matter no sportsman likes to suffer four consecutive losses and having endured such for the first time in my career, I feel it is time I turn the tide and what better way to do so than to record a commanding victory over McRae.
“I must admit that I don’t know much about him, but what I do know is he better be prepared for an all-out war, as after this fight, I will be targeting Eastman’s national super middleweight title, which he took from me three years ago.”
“I am waiting for the moment to step into the ring and do what I have to do to get the job done. I am happy he took the fight and as I said before, I will be using it as a stepping stone to resume my career, following those four losses,” added Dalton.
On the professional side of things, Orland ‘Pocket Rocket’ Rogers will be looking to extend his professional career when he faces former CAC bronze medallist Ray Sandiford in a catchweight encounter, with the latter vowing to knock out and end Rogers’ career.
Simeon ‘Candyman’ Hardy and Eversly Browne will meet in another catchweight encounter which promises to be a scorcher, since Hardy holds the record for the fastest knockout in the FNF when he knocked out Patrick Boston inside 27 seconds of the first round last October.
There will be four amateur fights to start the night’s action. Richard Williamson will take on Imran Khan, Delon Allicock and Benjamin Henry meet in a bantamweight fixture, Marvin Ageday and Delroy Nero (junior welterweight) and Stefan Gouveia and Andrew Lowenfield in a lightweight encounter.
Admission to the venue is $1 000 and even though the card will be televised live on NCN Channel 11 from 20:00hrs, boxing fans are asked to make their way down to the venue, to not only support same, but also give their support to the amateur segment of the card.
Whatever the outcome of the bouts, the time for the boxers to act is now since it’s put up or shut up time after the sound of the first bell.