GUYANA’s WBC CABOFE Featherweight and Light Welterweight Champion Clive Atwell (12-1-1) says that presently another fight is secondary on his mind as he now focuses on doing some “house cleaning”.

Atwell caught the attention of pundits and boxing fans around the world after his World Boxing Council (WBC) Featherweight fight against Champion Jhonny Gonzalez (56-8), losing to the Mexican by a technical decision when the two met on May 24 at the Convention Centre in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico.

Referee Laurence Cole stopped the fight with just three seconds remaining in the tenth of the 12-round encounter, after a clash of heads opened a gash above the left eye of Gonzalez midway through the fight, but the rigours of the bout worsened it and led to the stoppage.

Judges Rey Danseco of the Philippines and Americans Herb Santos and Michael Tate scored the fight 99-89, 96-92, and 98-90 all in favour of the Mexican Gonzalez whose record has now improved to 56 wins from 64 fights.

In several sections of the media Atwell, though confident he would’ve won the fight, pointed out that he did had some trouble outside of the ring with regards to the way his management was handing his affairs.

Atwell’s purse was US$15,000 of which after taking out his manager’s mandatory 33 1/3% another 15% for his coaches, covered a few miscellaneous expenses; all that was left was a meager US$4,500.

Attorney-At-Law Ronald Burch-Smith who is one half, and Andrew Arjoon being the other of Atwell’s management team explained that the purse for the fight was actually first presented at US$12,000 and after negotiations it was settled at $15,000.

“We did negotiate; we went high and then we were able to get some of what we wanted and the purse that he eventually fought for. People need to understand the position we were in,” Burch-Smith pointed out.

The Lawyer pointed out that Atwell was selected by the Champion Gonzalez which came with certain conditions. Added to that, the promoters too laid their cards on the table and in the end they all agreed to something that’s tangible for the boxer.

President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) Peter Abdool highlighted that after the fight, given the Guyanese good showing against a tried and tested Champion, Atwell is more marketable and his management can now negotiate for higher purses in the future.

On the premise that Atwell’s camp accepted a World Title fight prematurely, given the fact that Atwell had only 12 fights (undefeated), Abdool informed the gathering of Media representatives at the Millennium Manor Hotel in Georgetown that based on the offers that were presented to them, the veteran Gonzalez was the weaker opponent.

But Atwell made it clear that before he looks in the direction of another fight, he first needs to take care of a few in house matters.

“I’m not focusing on fighting right now” the CABOFE Champion said, “I want to make sure that I’m surrounded with people who has my interest at heart and so I need to take care of some in house matters. A lot’s going on that we need to iron out and take care of before we even think about moving on with my career.”