Richmond demolishes Walcott to take Super Middleweight title
… Gibson outpunches Park

POCKET ROCKET Gym’s Derrick Richmond obliterated the challenge of James ‘Sacks’ Walcott with a devastating right hand that accorded him the national Super Middleweight title of Guyana, when the Nation’s Promotion hosted its card at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground last Thursday night.On the same card, Shelly ‘The Agricola Boom’ Gibson outpunched hometown girl Shondell Park in their four-round historic heavyweight fight, where over 712 pounds of flesh moved around the ring, setting the venue alight.
In front of a small crowd there were also wins for former WBC/CABOFE Middleweight champion Shawn Corbin over Anthony Augustine and Linden’s Cassius Matthews who got the better of Kelsey Simon in a welterweight scrap, along with four entertaining amateur fights featuring boxers from the Carryl Boxing Gym of Linden.
The highlight, however, was the vacant Super Middleweight contest in which Richmond, in knocking out Walcott, showed that his recent demolition job of Edmond DeClou by a third-round stoppage was no fluke.
This title fight turned out to be a testing one for both fighters and after the first round which saw the tenacious approach by Walcott provide some difficulty for Richmond, who was trying to measure his way in, it seemed that the rangy Walcott would get the better of his shorter opponent.
But this was not to be. When Richmond went to his corner it was observed that the medical personnel examined his face and one could only guess he had suffered a cut, but he was able to resume the next round without any alarm.
In round two the cagey Walcott put together some one-two combinations during which he caught Richmond with a combination which caused referee Eion Jardine to give him the mandatory eight-count.
Round three saw the forcefulness of Richmond pave the way for him to get in some combinations and as he came forward in his eagerness to take control he actually connected below the belt of Walcott, causing his opponent to openly show his concern about such a low blow.
As they entered the centre of the ring for the fourth stanza, Walcott had regained some measure of control in dictating the fight, but as an aggressive Richmond, who was coached by Orland Rogers, came forward seeking to punch his way into contention, he slipped, causing his left thigh to go under the ropes outside the ring.
Such a move apparently created some amount of restriction in a standing position for Richmond, creating signs of concern by his corner, while many thought it would be a matter of time before Walcott would take care of the business at hand.
The ringside physician, Patricia Chase–Green attended to Richmond and after some confidence-building the fourth stanza resumed, with Richmond backing Walcott into a corner and connecting with a thunderous right hook to Walcott, but Jardine waved off the contest at 2 minutes 56 seconds of the round.
There was a thunderous applause for the females in their main bout of the night as Park and Gibson weighed in at record poundage entering a heavyweight fight in Guyana, Park at 415 and Gibson 308.
From the outset the taller Park was slower and Gibson a tad faster and this advantage remained throughout the bout. Gibson being the shorter was able to put together more punches, while Park was less active. But both women went at each other for four rounds, with Gibson coming out on top.
Earlier in the night, Corbin returned to the ring in his hometown and proved too hot for Augustine who called it quits after two of the scheduled four rounds, while Matthews came away with a split decision win over Simon, even as Kelroy George and Romeo Norville fought to a draw.

(By Joe Chapman)