SIX of the eight pugilists who will be in action on the professional segment of this month’s Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) in collaboration with the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport ProAm card, yesterday signed their contracts to keep their ring dates on June 29 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. Before affixing his signature to his contract, national middleweight and World Boxing Council (WBC)/Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) middleweight champion Edmond ‘Wonderboy’ De Clou chided Joel McRae, his opponent, and the man against whom he will be defending his title. “We fought twice before and on both occasions, I defeated him, coming away with a unanimous decision and this time around, when I am finished mopping the floor with him, I can take on Walcott (James), who I heard is interested in meeting me for my title,” said De Clou whose record reads 11-1-1.
Apart from the De Clou versus McRae clash, reigning WBC/CABOFE bantamweight champion Elton ‘Coolie Bully’ Dharry will do battle with Rudolph Fraser for the national super bantamweight title – a bout Fraser said he was waiting for a long time now.
“When I saw Dharry fight and defeat Mark Fernandes, I wanted to fight him but he was ducking and running from me, even taking on Orland Rogers and Dexter Marques, but now there is no where for him to run and hide and I think I have what it takes to get past him and I will,” said Fraser.
He charged his United States-based opponent to come prepared for a battle, as it will be a long night, saying his loss in weight for the fight will have no impact on his performance, since he is confident he will defeat Dharry.
National light heavyweight champion Kwesi ‘Lightning Struck Assassin’ Jones who was scheduled to defend his crown against  Trinidad and Tobago-based Shawn Corbin last month, will be in action against  Kelsey George of Berbice, who displayed a hapless and dazed look, after seeing his opponent yesterday.
“What can I say, all I can do is go out there and do my best when the time comes, while at the same time I will be looking to churn out a much better performance than what I displayed against De Clou and Walcott, both of whom I lost to,” said George.
On the other hand, Jones said he is hungry while being in the pink of condition and based on his disappointment at not facing Corbin last month, when he was hoping to showcase to Guyana and the boxing public at large that he belongs in the WBC Championships, George’s work is cut out for him.
The two will meet in a six-round light heavyweight non-title contest, while David Thomas, whose only professional bout resulted in a loss to Anson Greene, will be looking to give Gladwin Dorway, who will be making his professional debut, a similar baptism when they meet in a four-round junior welterweight encounter.
Even though they are not yet known, four amateur bouts will precede the professional segment of the card. This is the 24th edition and boxers on both the amateur and professional levels have been aided with their upward mobility in the sport.