SIX MALE amputees are on the verge of creating international history with the first ever “One- foot Boxing” being done in Linden. The amputee boxers who are all Lindeners have been practicing their skill for over a year, and even though they have not been involved in any public tournament, they are confident that the months of practice and discipline have given them the experience to become competitive boxers. The men who are determined to take this new-found sport on the international level journeys to Georgetown every day to have a first-hand feel of the ‘Six Head Lewis’ boxing gymnasium in Albouystown.
The initiator of the sport, Esmond Nelson, who has been an amputee for two years as a result of vascular circulation, is very excited about the sport taking off and has expressed confidence of taking the name of his hometown Linden to the international boxing arena with “One-Foot Boxing.”
Reminiscing on the day that this idea entered his mind, he revealed that it was the day that changed his life as an amputee. Being a boxer in his younger days, he bragged about once being Guyana’s bantamweight champion in 1974. He said that financial circumstances caused him to abandon his career in boxing and seek employment.
“I am from a very poor family, so even though I had love for the game I had to branch out and work,” he articulated. This however did not dull his passion as it was always a part of him. Even as an amputee, he sometimes shadow-boxed and this was what prompted him to start the sport. “One day I just get up and started shadow boxing for myself and I liked the feeling I got. I figured that anybody could handle it with one foot, so I say I will try to get some people aboard and start practicing,” he said. He was successful in persuading six amputees to commit themselves to the sport.
After daily practice and promoting a health-conscious lifestyle, he said that the amputee boxers were able to fight for two minutes and then take a one-minute rest. “We can fight three solid rounds and we are practicing to go longer,” he boasted. Esmond said that the training was funded completely by him as he provided transportation for the team’s daily trips to Georgetown and even assists them with their food and supplements.
Not Interested
Nelson revealed that he was offered a contract of $US300, 000 from a Trinidad sports promoter to have their first tournament during the carnival season, but he declined since he does not want the sport to be associated with Trinidad but to be a ‘Guyanese thing.’ “I refused because I want Guyana to have this first franchise. Let Guyana have that first boost before it goes anywhere else.” He said that during his early boxing career he never had the chance to represent Guyana internationally and would now use the opportunity as an amputee boxer to do so.
Reaction at the gym
Esmond Nelson told this publication that on their first training session, curiosity filled the onlookers as they were not confident of the amputees’ ability to box on one foot. “It was strange to the people of the gym, they were wondering what was happening. They were startled so much that even the trainer declined the job as he thought it best for an amputee to do so.”
This prompted Nelson to take on that responsibility and he is proud of his accomplishments thus far. Esmond is very optimistic that the sport will take off and is determined to have Guyana be noted for this new sport.”
“It will escalate, I know it will escalate!” he said optimistically.