THE eight boxers that will be involved in fistic action in the Nation’s Promotion Pro-Am card on Boxing Night, yesterday put their signatures to their respective contracts in the Board Room of the Abdool and Abdool Insurance Company, High Street, Georgetown.The boxers all promised to give of their best come fight night with heavyweight, Shaundell Park, predicting that her four-round bout against fellow Lindener, Shelly Gibson, would not go the distance.
Park who weighs in excess of 300 pounds said she has been inactive in the ring for quite a while, but she has been training very hard for this fight and she will give of her best come fight night.
Gibson, after telling members of the media she does not want to comment on the fight and after hearing Park’s prediction said “on the 26th of December me and Shaundell will have something to laugh about.”
The card will feature four professional fights and a similar amount of amateur bouts. The names of the amateurs that will be on show have not been released as yet.
The feature bout on the card will bring together Derrick Richmond and James Walcott in a 12-round Super Middleweight title fight, while the other supporting bouts will see Kelsey George facing Romeo Norville in a four-round Super Middleweight bout and Kishawn Simnon tackling Cassius Matthews in a six-round junior Welterweight contest.
Addressing members of the media yesterday, promoter, Omotola Gaulding, said the main objective of the card is to assist young aspiring boxers, but the success of the programme depends heavily on public support.
According to Goulding, contributions for the staging of the card came mainly from United States Guyanese boxers and boxing gyms in New York.
He informed that his father, Carl Goulding, who hails from Berbice but lived in Linden for a number of years, was once a sparring partner for Terrence Ali and Linden born, Walter Smith. He added that his father eventually became a professional fighter and had a few professional fights.
He also said his father is the person behind him promoting the card since it is his father’s main objective to contribute to the development of boxing in Guyana.
The young Goulding said there are lots of persons in the US who have an interest in developing boxing in Guyana and they have pledged their support.
“This event is just a start, but we plan on doing one every quarter, but this depends on everyone playing their part,” Goulding stated.
Asked if he is concerned about the prevailing weather, Goulding said if the same weather pattern continues, he would be looking at alternative arrangements including an arena type atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Walcott in speaking about his predictions for his fight against Richmond said he has been in the game for quite some time but has never won a title bout and hopefully this is the time to win one.
Richmond in response said the title is going back with him to Berbice.
Simon for his part said he did not prepare properly for his last fight which he lost, but this time around he would be properly prepared.
Simon’s opponent, Cassius Matthews, in response said he would not do much talking but is confident that come December 26th he will come out victorious.

(By Michael DaSilva)