Hardy, Walcott and Azore gain decisions over opponents
… Fraser, Matthews fight to a draw
REIGNING World Boxing Council/ Caribbean Boxing Federation (WBC/CABOFE) champion Simeon ‘Candyman’ Hardy chalked up a commanding unanimous decision victory over former European middleweight champion Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall last Friday night. The two were meeting in the main bout on the 23rd edition of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), in collaboration with the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA)-organised ProAm Friday Night Fights, which also saw Iwan ‘Pure Gold’ Azore and James Walcott chalk up points victory over their respective opponents, while Rudolph Fraser and Cassius Matthews fought to a draw.
While many who graced the venue with their presence expected to see the 24-year-old Hardy chalk up his ninth victory via the knockout route, the 41-year-old Eastman used every trick in the book, including head butts to his opponent’s mid-section, to prevent that from occurring.
Both pugilists exchanged combinations and jabs of their own, with the intensity of the action rising to a level during the fourth round, in which Eastman refused to break from one of his many holds, even when told to do so by referee Franklyn Brisport.
He proceeded to throw several punches to the back of Hardy’s head. Hardy later said he felt a buzzing sound whenever that was done – resulting in a warning and the taking away of a point by referee Franklyn Brisport – something Eastman could have ill afforded to lose.
Hardy upped the tempo after Eastman’s unsportsmanlike conduct, and unleashed several combinations to the head and body of his more illustrious opponent, who shook it off and responded with a few combinations of his own, using his jab as a lead.
The tenth and final round began with Eastman, who was spurred on by the vociferous crowd who chanted his name in every corner of the venue, unleashing several combinations to the body of Hardy, who, to the surprise of many, withstood the attack like the true champion he claims to be.
In the dying stages of the round, Hardy took over and delivered combinations at will, forcing a visibly shaken Eastman to the ropes as he sought to land his now famous ‘chin check’ punch, which Eastman refused to encourage, forcing the judges to decide the winner.
They did that to perfection, scoring the bout 98-91, 96-94 and 95-94 in favour of Hardy, who agreed to hand Eastman a rematch, as the Berbician was heard asking for during his post-match interview.
“Yes I would give him a rematch, as I have lots to learn and I am sure matching gloves with boxers of the calibre of Eastman, Vivian Harris and Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis, can only serve me better leading up to the WBC Championship Cup in August.
In the first bout of the professional segment, Matthews and Fraser used jabs and the occasional right hand on each other during the first two rounds, while in the third stanza, Matthews suffered a cut on his right eyebrow, forcing the ringside doctor to take a look.
Even though Fraser connected with several right hands to the head and body of Matthews, his punches had little or no effect on his opponent who rallied back with combinations of his own which the judges saw and recorded the fight 38-38, 39-37 (Fraser) and 39-37 (Matthews.)
In the second contest, both Walcott and George did all they said they would do, unleashing blows to the head and body of each other, with Walcott gaining the upper hand, following his devastating second round knockdown, that came from a series of combinations which pushed George back.
However, like the true fighter he is, George beat referee Eion Jardine’s count and when he got up, he brought the crowd to its feet with his punches that caught Walcott by surprise as he was forced to cling to survive the round.
Even exchanges from both boxers ensued during the final two rounds but with Walcott registering the earlier knockdown and being the strong finisher at the end of the contest, the judges awarded him the fight by a unanimous decision, with the scores reading 39-36, 35-30 and 45-40.
The trilogy between Azore and Lewis, two fighters who felt the wrath of Hardy earlier on in their careers, failed to live up to the expectations of the fans even though Lewis who went under to Azore in the first encounter while the second was deemed a draw, attacked the body at will.
The Trinidad and Tobago-based Azore was scheduled to face WBC/CABOFE lightweight champion Miguel Antoine, but the Barbadian pulled out of the fight with an injured knuckle, hence the trilogy between himself and Lewis, who called it ‘Vengeance Time’.
He (Lewis) made his way to the ring, to the beat of a chutney/soca and displayed fancy footworks on his entrance, but when it was time for him to use the same footworks during the bout, in order to avoid Azore’s body punches, his feet failed him.
Azore attacked the body at will, using his uppercuts and hooks to good effect while Lewis hunted his opponent’s head in search of what, only he knows and unlike the last encounter which saw both fighters engaged in a brawl when the decision was announced, this time they shared a quick embrace when Azore was declared the winner by a majority decision.
On the amateur side of things, Antwone Branch and Tyron Lashley recorded 2-1 decision victories over Shaka Moore and Matthew Allensworth, the young and gifted Michael April boxed and weaved his way to a comfortable 3-0 decision over Orin Bancroft while the referee stopped the contest at 1:28 in the second round in favour of Travis Fraser, who was punishing the lanky Kevin McKenzie.