De Clou looking to keep unbeaten record intact
WHEN Linden’s very own Edmond De Clou steps into the ring next week Friday night to face Trinidad and Tobago-based Guyanese Joel McRae for the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) Intermediate middleweight title, he will be looking to keep his unbeaten record for 2011 intact. Speaking with Chronicle Sport via telephone, De Clou expressed confidence ahead of the encounter which will take place during the hosting of the 16th edition of the GBBC, in collaboration with the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA)-organised, ProAm Friday Night Fights (FNF) at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
“Even though this is my first 10-round bout, I am brimming with confidence going into it. My training has been extremely hard as I intend to not only win this fight, but win it convincingly and at the same time impressively, since he (McRae) believes he can beat me as he has been boasting all along.
“He told me that my victory over him last December was a fluke, to which I said it was my birthday month so what a gift. But this time around, I know he will be looking for the Edmond De Clou of the last bout, but I have something up my sleeve for him, it will be 100% different this time around.”
Despite a lack of professional fighters in the mining town, De Clou’s intentions are to outbox McRae from the opening bell of the contest, even though he is aware of his opponent’s punching power.
“I will tell you no lie, he does hit hard and I am speaking from the experience gained in the first fight so one of my plans and the most important one also is to stay away from his power punches. As long as I can do that and I know I will, there is no way under the sun he can beat me,” said De Clou.
The 24-year old pugilist, whose record reads 6-1-1 overall, while for this year it shows 4-0 with two victories over Winston Pompey, believes he has fought more quality pugilists than his opponent, apart from ‘Deadly’ Denny Dalton, over whom McRae chalked up a split decision victory in last month’s FNF.
“Honestly, I thought he would have defeated Denny more convincingly, but he did not and in fact, he did not do anything to impress me in that fight so I am not scared of him at all. When you compare the fighters he fought to mine, he has not fought anybody reputable, apart from Denny,” said De Clou.
He added, “Against Denny, he got in a few shots and was looking for a knockout even though he said otherwise after the bout, but could not finish Denny off. What makes him think he can catch me the same way and finish the job. All he does is talk, talk and more talk. In fact I think Digicel should employ him as their Blah, Blah mascot seeing that he talks a lot.
“After defeating Pompey for the second time, I was told Howard Eastman, who is the present middleweight champion would have been my next opponent, only to hear he (McRae) wishes to fight Eastman, hence our upcoming bout next week Friday.
“I am not fazed by him, he has nothing to stop me and for me, he is only a stumbling block in my path to get to Eastman and all stumbling blocks that have been placed before me, I remove them and that will be the situation on July 29.
“He is in front of me and he needs to be removed once and for all and this time around there will be no rematch for him.”
Meanwhile, Anthony Augustine will face Barbados’ Julian Tannis, since his original opponent Joseph Christopher, a St Lucia-based Englishman, is unable to keep the ring date.