A REVIEW of the fight between Guyana’s Clive `The Punisher’ Atwell and World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight champion Johnny Gonzalez of Mexico clearly shows that Atwell was ahead on points when the referee stopped the contest.

Chronicle Sport, who is privileged to be in receipt of a copy of the tape, reviewed it in company with several experienced coaches, boxers and former promoters and all have come to the conclusion that Atwell was ahead on points when the bout was stopped by referee Laurence Cole with just three seconds remaining in the 10th round.
The stoppage came about because of a clash of the two boxers’ heads which caused a small cut above the left eye of Gonzalez halfway through the fight and which continued to bleed until the referee called a halt to the proceedings.
At that point, judges Roy Danseco of the Philippines and Americans Herb Santos and Michael Tate had scored the fight 99-89, 96-92 and 98-90 all In favour of the Mexican whose record now stands at 56 victories from 64 fights.
Viewing the fight in the company of other experienced persons in the sport, it showed that both boxers used the first two rounds feeling out each other, with both of them connecting with a few combinations.
In round three, Gonzalez connected to Atwell’s head with a solid straight right that did not seem to affect the local champion, as he stepped forward to Gonzalez and connected with a combination to body. Thereafter he was on the retreat but countering well which caused the crowd to start booing (why they were booing is anyone’s guess as Atwell was having the upper hand).
Atwell subsequently landed a double left jab followed by a straight right to end the round.
Round four saw Atwell aggressively taking the fight to Gonzalez who was able to score with a left hook that Atwell shook off. The Mexican later connected with a left dig to Atwell’s body and a left hook to head, but Atwell retaliated with two straight rights to Gonzalez’s head and a one-two combination to head also.
Gonzalez, probably sensing he was behind on points, started to come forward to Atwell in the fifth round, which allowed Atwell to land three consecutive left jabs to his opponent’s head followed by a straight right.
Nearing the end of the round, both boxers exchanged combinations, but the round, like the previous two, belonged to Atwell.
Both fighters went at each other in round six and while Atwell was concentrating on Gonzalez’s head, the latter was concentrating on his opponent’s mid-section, with Gonzalez connecting to Atwell with two one-two combinations during the second minute of round seven, but the Guyanese responded with a few combinations of his own, in a round that was won by Gonzalez.
Atwell became the aggressor once again in the eighth round and kept up the pace for the first two minutes and later started to evade Gonzalez’s punches by keeping him at bay. Clearly, it was Atwell’s round.
Round nine saw Atwell connect with three-punch combinations for which the Mexican had no answer but landed a single one-two combination that did not seem to deter the Guyanese from continuing his aggressive tactics.
Atwell came out for the 10th round apparently seeking to put a stop to the contest, but Gonzalez started to back away and counter-punch his way out of trouble.
Atwell continued to storm Gonzalez and the two boxers’ head once again collided resulting in the stoppage with the judges’ score card giving Gonzalez the victory..

(By Michael DaSilva)