… Republican Gym’s Joshua Joseph named Best Boxer

AFTER accumulating the most points in three nights of boxing, defending champions Guyana Defence Force emerged winners of the second edition of the Guyana Boxing Association’s (GBA) Andrew Lewis National Novices Boxing Championships which concluded on Sunday evening at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue.Though the GDF retained the Best Gym award,, the Republican Gym (REP) continued to show progress in the fistic art, as their welterweight boxer Joshua Joseph was adjudged the tournament’s Best Boxer, following a win in the semi-finals over his gym mate Bobby Hou-yen and an impressive knockout victory over Mark Blake (GDF) in Sunday night’s final.
The Republican Gym, following impressive wins and being runners-up in a number of weight divisions, were subsequently pronounced Runner-up Gym.
Youth boxer Duel Augustine of the Pocket Rocket Boxing Gym (PRBG) punched his way to a unanimous verdict over Michael Edwards of the Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) and was eventually adjudged the Best Boxer in his category, while Akea Lamaizon (PRBG) turned in a brilliant performance to defeat Shonette McFarlane (GDF) in a female contest after the referee halted their 64kg bout at two minutes of the second round.
Rose Hall Jammers’ bantamweight boxer Julius Kesney also turned in an remarkable performance that earned him a TKO victory over John Phillips (GDF).
The boxers were engaged in a fair exchange during the initial stage of the bout until Kesney backed up his man in the blue corner and landed several jabs and crosses in both first and second rounds, connecting with a four-punch combination and after an eight-count, the referee quite wisely stopped the contest at 44 secs into the second stanza.
In other results, Don Cumberbatch (GDF) scored a unanimous decision over his gym mate, Reez Jahurali to win the flyweight title while Jamal Brisport (GDF) outpunched his gym mate Triston Browne to be crowned the lightweight champion.
Colin Hinds (GDF) won his junior welterweight bout against his gym mate. Leon Semple while the middleweight champion is Geraldo Phillips (REP) who defeated Joshua Fraser (GDF).
Renaldo Niles was also in winners’ row and won the light heavyweight title on points from his gym mate, Marvin Williams. Brian Leitch (REP) then won his heavyweight bout on points over Ryan Roberts before the super heavyweight bout between Floyd Cato (GDF) and his gym mate, Renee Lewis, ended in a technical knockout in favour of Cato at 1:37 secs of the final round.