THE largest crowd ever to witness a boxing match in Guyana turned up at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground on June 14, 1992. North American Boxing Federation junior welterweight champion Terrence Alli was fighting on home soil for the first time in 12 years.
McNeil Enterprise bossman Odinga Lumumba poured out his promotional savvy and was able to attract over fifteen thousand persons to the match that would pit the local against Steve Larrimore of the Bahamas.
The USA-based Alli did not disappoint his adoring home fans as he stopped the charge of Larrimore in the fifth round.
It was his first fight in Guyana since beating Walter Smith in March 1980. While Alli would win his next two fights, Larrimore was TKOed by a young Kostya Tszyu in January 1993. Alli must be considered one of the five fest boxers to come out of Guyana.
The lightning quick wonder boy from Victory Valley holds the distinction of being the only Guyanese to have fought three times for major world titles.
In 1985 he lost to Hector Arroyo while challenging for the IBF lightweight title. Two years later he was defeated by Jose Luis Ramirez who claimed the vacant WBC lightweight crown.
Moving up to the junior welterweight division, Alli met legendary Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez, the WBC champion and was TKOed in round 6.