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FORMER World Boxing Council (WBC)/CABOFE welterweight champion Simeon ‘Candyman’ Hardy was pulled out of the WBC Championship Cup by his manager for reasons unknown, forcing WBC/CABOFE and Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) president Peter Abdool to strip the pugilist of his belt. Subsequently, Barbados’ Miguel ‘Hands of Stone’ Antoine who boasts an impressive record of 17-1-1 (9 kos), was set to take on Jamaica’s Sakima Mullings (11-1, 7 kos) for the said title, when the GBBC hosts Firestorm at the Princess Hotel on April 20 next.
However, things took a turn for the worse for Antoine, who found himself in an unfamiliar dilemma with the WBC/CABOFE organisation, hence making it impossible for him to lace up his gloves and boots to face Mullings.
Instead, 30-year-old Mullings will now find himself facing a game, wily and experienced Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman for the WBC/CABOFE welterweight title, with the winner going on to compete in the WBC Championship Cup tournament which is set to box off sometime this year.
Boxing fans and enthusiasts would recall Hardy’s return fixture with Eastman last year, when the former European and Commonwealth middleweight champion used his experience to avoid being knocked out against a younger Hardy, who won the contest by decision.
With that in mind, Mullings will certainly have to change his game plans, since Eastman whose record reads 46-11 (37 kos) is not an easy walkover, something Hardy can attest to since he fought the wily pugilist twice.
Another fight on the card pits Clive Atwell (9-0-1), Guyana’s feather and lightweight and WBC/CABOFE super lightweight champion against Mexico’s Raphael Hernandez for the WBC/CABOFE featherweight title and a place in the WBC Championship Cup as well.
Mark Austin (8-5-1) will take on Gladwin Dorway (4-0) for the national junior middleweight title and Elton ‘The Bully’ Dharry will also be back in action, lacing up his gloves for a battle with Jamaica’s Rudolph Hedge last month, doing so this time for the vacant national bantamweight crown with Hewley Robertson over 12 rounds.
There will be two amateur bouts involving two females and the crowd-puller Nandkumar Singh who will face an opponent yet to be named.
However, things took a turn for the worse for Antoine, who found himself in an unfamiliar dilemma with the WBC/CABOFE organisation, hence making it impossible for him to lace up his gloves and boots to face Mullings.
Instead, 30-year-old Mullings will now find himself facing a game, wily and experienced Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman for the WBC/CABOFE welterweight title, with the winner going on to compete in the WBC Championship Cup tournament which is set to box off sometime this year.
Boxing fans and enthusiasts would recall Hardy’s return fixture with Eastman last year, when the former European and Commonwealth middleweight champion used his experience to avoid being knocked out against a younger Hardy, who won the contest by decision.
With that in mind, Mullings will certainly have to change his game plans, since Eastman whose record reads 46-11 (37 kos) is not an easy walkover, something Hardy can attest to since he fought the wily pugilist twice.
Another fight on the card pits Clive Atwell (9-0-1), Guyana’s feather and lightweight and WBC/CABOFE super lightweight champion against Mexico’s Raphael Hernandez for the WBC/CABOFE featherweight title and a place in the WBC Championship Cup as well.
Mark Austin (8-5-1) will take on Gladwin Dorway (4-0) for the national junior middleweight title and Elton ‘The Bully’ Dharry will also be back in action, lacing up his gloves for a battle with Jamaica’s Rudolph Hedge last month, doing so this time for the vacant national bantamweight crown with Hewley Robertson over 12 rounds.
There will be two amateur bouts involving two females and the crowd-puller Nandkumar Singh who will face an opponent yet to be named.
