THE WELTERWEIGHT division is set to steal the show when the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) National Open Championships punch off at the Banks DIH Car Park, Thirst Park this evening.   The division is packed with quality fighters as `Lightning’ Laured Stewart, Eon Bancroft and Ron Smith, who will all be lacing up gloves against each other.
Smith holds a victory over Stewart and Bancroft while Stewart holds one victory over Smith in their two meetings.
However, Bancroft, who has recently moved down from the middleweight division is brimming with confidence following a knockout victory over top Trinidadian Leon Nottingham late last month.
President of GABA, Steve Ninvalle, yesterday said all the aforementioned fighters have been hard at training and a competition of fistic fury can be expected.
“This is our last senior event for the year and I expect us to go out with a bang. Many of these fighters had one or more overseas engagement for the year and are ready to now entertain their home crowd.”
The competition will also see the return of Markember `Violence’ Pierre, who was forced out of the sport for almost a year after being wounded in an incident on the National Cultural Centre tarmac and will find out that Dennis `Menace’ Thomas is a vastly improved opponent who stands in his way of being crowned national champion in the middleweight division.
Meanwhile, lightweight Steffon Gouveia and bantamweight `Magic’ Imran Khan will be adding to this evening’s entertainment in a competition that is being sponsored by the Guyana Olympic Association, Star Party Rentals and Banks DIH Limited.