HAVING demolished Rudolph Fraser with a devastating second-round TKO in last month’s ProAm Friday Night Fights, national featherweight champion and former Pan Am Games bronze medallist Clive ‘Wonder Kid’ Atwell warns his upcoming opponent, Barbados-based, national lightweight champion Revlon Lake, to take a cautious approach to their bout. The two are scheduled to headline the 25th edition of the ProAm card, which is organised by the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), in collaboration with the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, next week Friday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) in a six-round non-title encounter.
“Nothing about this upcoming fight is plaguing my mind, as I know I can box,” the 23-year-old Atwell whose record reads 7-0-1, told Chronicle Sport via telephone yesterday morning.
He added, “I’ve been working on the ability to endure the distance, as unlike Lake, I have never gone past four rounds but that will not stop me from showcasing to the boxing public, my talent, technique and finesse as their featherweight champion.
“While I will not be looking for a knockout, if one does come my way I will be taking it, as it only signifies an early night for me, whilst at the same time, makes the fight easier and faster.”
The Dominica-based Atwell said he has been training under the watchful eyes of Lennox ‘Capell’ Daniels at the Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis gym in Albouystown, everyday since he returned to challenge Fraser for the title.
“That has taken a lot out of me, but it won’t take away my confidence for this fight, for as I said before, I am not feeling any pressure going up against Lake and he needs to be cautious or else he will be forced to face and deal with the consequences after.
Boxing is a lot more mental than physical and despite the talks about Lake and his achievements, I am brimming with confidence and preparing myself to do battle with him from the first round and with a coach like ‘Capell’, who has been taking me through my paces in many different ways, I could not be in better shape for this contest.”
Looking back at his demolition of Fraser, Atwell said his victory came from applying what he studied about his opponent, along with the first round experience.
“What I noticed about him during the first round is everytime he goes back, he drops his left hand in preparation to throw a straight left and in doing so, he leaves himself vulnerable and open to punches, especially when I throw the double jab, so I relayed this to my corner at the break.
‘Capell’ told me to exploit it to the fullest in the second round, which I did and in the midst of catching him going back, while I was about to send the second of two jabs to his head, he opened up so I capitalised on it and the rest as they say is history.
“He got knocked out, I won the belt and now I have to focus my attention on Lake and what he is bringing to this fight, as my sole intention is to come away with the win, when the final bell is sounded,” said Atwell.
Lake’s record reads 6-6-2, including three losses to Barbados’ Miguel ‘Hands of Stone’ Antoine, who chalked up an unanimous points decision win over the Guyanese at the CASH, when they met in February of this year for the World Boxing Council/Caribbean Boxing Federation lightweight title.
Other professional bouts on the card which will cover a distance of four rounds each will see Anson Greene go up against Gladwin Dorway in a light welterweight encounter while debutants Richard Williamson and Kishan Simon will match gloves with Dillon Allicock and Patrick Boston in a bantamweight and catchweight encounter.
On the amateur side of things, Christopher Timmerman and Keron Mulling will meet in the 70 to 74lb division, Albert Thomas will face Orin Bancroft (90 to 94lb), Shaka Moore clashes with Royan Sumner (95 to 99lb) and Ron Smith will clash with Romeo Norville in a middleweight matchup.
Bell time is 20:00hrs and admission to witness the night’s action, which is being sponsored by Courts (Guyana) Incorporated, Digicel, Ministry of Agriculture, National Communications Network and Guyoil, is $1 000 for adults and $500 for children.