… Sterling performances at `Hostile Territory’ card

THE amateur boxers who appeared on the Guyana Boxing Board of Control’s (GBBC) `Hostile Territory’ Pro/Am boxing card, which was staged at the Giftland Mall, Pattensen, East Coast Demerara two Saturdays ago, were yesterday presented with hampers, compliments of the Giftland Mall.At a simple ceremony held at the Giftland Mall, the six boxers who appeared on the card were presented with hampers comprising cereals, tonics, milk and a variety of other nutritional products.
In brief remarks, GBBC president Peter Abdool congratulated the amateur boxers who appeared on the card. He noted that their performances really set the tone for the professional segment which featured United States-based Guyanese Elton Dharry and Venezuela’s Felix Machado in an eight-round bantamweight bout. Dharry won the fight by technical knockout in the fifth round to secure a Commonwealth title shot set for May 21 right here in Guyana.
At the presentation ceremony, Abdool said Giftland Mall’s Chief Executive Officer Royston Beepat was very impressed with the amateur fighters and thought that they (boxers) should be compensated for their performances and they should get something tangible, hence the hampers were agreed on.
Abdool made a call for corporate Guyana to support the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) financially, to send light heavyweight amateur boxer Desmond Amsterdam and middleweight Dennis Thomas to represent Guyana at the Olympic Qualifiers in Buenos Aires, Argentina commencing tomorrow. The two boxers need to arrive in Argentina mentally and physically prepared, but because of a shortage of funds, they might not be prepared.
The two boxers, along with manager/coach Sebert Blake, were expected to leave Guyana for Argentina last evening, still short of funds to the tune of US$1100..
Royston Beepat wished the two Olympic hopefuls the best of luck and said Giftland Mall is pleased to be associated with both amateur and professional boxing.