JUDGING from the words which came out of some pugilists’ mouth at the press conference yesterday, boxing fans and enthusiasts can expect fireworks at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) tonight, when the 24th edition of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) in collaboration with the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) ProAm card punches off at 20:00hrs. Trinidad and Tobago-based Joel McRae, who arrived in the country yesterday morning, will face World Boxing Council/Caribbean Boxing Federation (WBC/CABOFE) middleweight champion Edmond ‘Wonder Boy’ De Clou in a ‘trilogy’, with De Clou’s national middleweight title being up for grabs this time around.
De Clou is the only man to hand McRae both of his losses as a professional fighter, having won their first contest controversially then returning to win the second one hands down. With such confidence, he promises to mop the floor with McRae tonight.
“We fought twice before and on both occasions, I defeated him, coming away with unanimous decisions 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, as he is no threat to me.”
Certainly, with De Clou mouthing those words in the absence and presence of McRae, one would have expected the T&T-based fighter to put up some form of defence, but instead his response was so cold, that Nyquil would have refused to act as a medicine, making De Clou a strong favourite for their 12-round clash, as he urged McRae to consider retirement tonight.
The 35-year-old Rudolph Fraser faces Dominican Republic-based Clive Atwell for the national featherweight title, and according to Atwell, Fraser needs to look at the hurdles that are in front of him, before he thinks about taking the next step.
However, Atwell got his signals wrong as Fraser was highlighting the feats of Moore, along with Vivian Harris and Gairy Sinclair, just to name a few, while adding that they had their time and they grasped it and now it’s his turn to grab at what is there for him to grab at, meaning a national title.
This can also be a scorcher, as Atwell promised to maintain his reputation of a fighter who does not back down against any opponent – whether he wins, loses or draws the matchup – while Fraser maintained his hands would be raised in victory after 12 rounds of fistic fury.
Not much can be said about the Kwesi ‘Lightning Struck Assassin’ Jones light heavyweight six-round encounter with Berbice’s Kelsie George, but that Jones promises to unleash his wrath tonight.
In his usual soft-spoken tone, George, who lost all three of his professional fights to date, admitted the fight is a tough one for him, but he still promises to go out and give it his best shot.
David Thomas and Gladwin Dorway will kick off the professional segment of the night’s action, with their four-round junior welterweight matchup and with Thomas looking to rebound following his loss to Anson Greene in his lone professional bout to date, certainly Dorway, who is making his debut, will have his work cut out.
As the GABA continues their concentration on their Under-16 fighters with the aim of getting a strong squad together in time for the 2016 and even 2020 Olympic Games, tonight’s amateur segment on the card will see several young boxers from across Guyana in action.
Stefan Greene and Albert Thomas met for the first time in the GABA/Pepsi Under-16 competition, in which Greene came out victorious and Thomas’ handlers appealed the decision, so tonight’s opening amateur bout between these two pugilists should produce fireworks, as there is bad blood between the two.
Ryan Persaud will take on Christopher Moffatt since Elijah Insanally was forced to withdraw from the bout for personal reasons, Shaka Moore and Ryan Sumner will go head to head, followed by the Matthew Allensworth and Joel Williamson clash, before the break in the night’s proceedings.
Admission to the venue for tonight’s action, which is being sponsored in part by National Communications Network, Guyoil, Courts (Guyana) Incorporated, Digicel, Banks Malta and the Ministries of Culture, Youth and Sport and Agriculture, is $1 000 for adults and $500 for children.