GDF prevails over Republican Gym on opening night

By Michael DaSilva
BOXERS from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) prevailed over their counterparts from the Republican Boxing Gym, when the Guyana Boxing Association’s (GBA) Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate Championships got underway at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue on Friday evening.Of the six Elite fights that the two gyms were together involved in, the GDF won four, while the Republican Gym won the other two.
At the conclusion of the first night’s action, the soldiers were way ahead of their opponents in terms of points, and seemed certain of retaining their championship honours;which they did.
When boxers from the two gyms clashed for the first time on Friday evening, it was evident that both gyms wanted to `steal the thunder’ as Jushaine Ferrier (GDF) and Anthony Patterson (Rep), went after each other from the start of their bantamweight contest; standing toe-to-toe and exchanging punches, with neither of the two retreating during the first three minutes of the bout.
When the small crowd thought that the two would go lighter at each other during the next round, they were surprised that the fight intensified as the two bantamweights continued to slug it out; and it remained the same way during the third and final round. At the end, Patterson (Rep) was adjudged the winner by a unanimous decision.
The second fight between puglists’ from the same two gyms was a lightweight contest between Donald Trapp (Rep) and Jason Trotman (GDF) which, from the start, saw Trotman going on the attack.However,Trapp was equal to the task, countering well and eventually caught Trotman with a three punch combination.
However, from the second round Trotman came out taking the fight to his opponent,who at this time appeared tired as he started to hold his opponent, who seemed intent on finishing the job at hand;but Trapp survived the round.
The third round was a repetition of the second and in the end, Trotman was declared a unanimous winner.
The two gym met again in a junior welterweight contest that featured Colin Hinds (GDF) and Denroy Nero).From the first round, it was evident that the two men were polished fighters and it was Nero,the taller of the two,who used his height and reach to good effect to stave off the challenge of his opponent,using jabs and landing several combinations throughout the three rounds.
During the second and third rounds ,however, Hinds connected with quite a few combinations, but in the end it was Nero who was declared the unanimous points’ winner.
Mark Blake (GDF) then faced Joshua Joseph (Rep) in a welterweight contest and from the start of the first round it was evident to both the fans and to Joseph’s corner that Joseph was no match for his opponent (Blake); and the corner men threw in the towel at 59 seconds of the first round.
Lorex Cummings (GDF), like Blake, subsequently caused the referee to stop his contest against Terry Peters (Rep) at 59 seconds of the first round in their welterweight contest.
In the final fight of the night,again between boxers from the same two gyms, Darren McPherson (GDF) defeated Faisal Moore(Rep) by a unanimous points’ decision in their middleweight contest.
The championships will conclude this evening at the same venue. Starting time is 19:00hrs.