… Soldiers occupy three of six spots

CARIBBEAN bantamweight boxing champion `Lightning’ Keevin Allicock has remained as the highest rated elite boxer, according to the latest `Priority’ release from the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA). Allicock leads a list of six elite boxers following his Best Boxer performance at last month’s Caribbean Championship held here.

The lightning-quick puncher was undefeated in two fights of the championship which assisted Guyana to reclaim the coveted Champion Country award.
Middleweight sensation `Dynamite’ Desmond Amsterdam is second on the list, having moved up one place from last year.

Amsterdam, arguably the most feared middleweight in the Caribbean, brushed aside all three opponents during the last Caribbean Championship in a performance that could have challenged Allicock’s for the Best Boxer Award.

Former Caribbean light welterweight champion Colin `Superman’ Lewis slipped from second to third place on the list. The gangly Lewis lost to stylish Michael Alexander of Trinidad during last month’s event, relinquishing his light welterweight title in the process. Meanwhile, Jamaal Eastman and Markember `Violence’ Pierre have made the top-six for the first time.

Eastman and Pierre are placed fourth and fifth respectively. The talented Eastman, who hails from Berbice, shocked the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall when he stopped Trinidad champion Jessie Edwards at 33 seconds of the second round to snatch the Caribbean lightweight title.

Pierre, a veteran of over 20 years in boxing, baffled his detractors while earning many new fans, following a sublime performance which ended with three bruising victories. He was also crowned the light heavyweight champion of the region. Flyweight Seon Griffith is the sixth fighter on the list.

GBA president Steve Ninvalle disclosed that the list compilation was left solely to the Coaches Commission which is headed by AIBA Three Star coach Sebert Blake.
“Our executive has full confidence in the modus operandi of the Coaches Commission and applauds the work it has been doing over the years,” Ninvalle said.

Amsterdam, Lewis and Pierre hail from the Guyana Defence Force Gym, Allicock and Griffith from the Forgotten Youth Foundation Gym while Eastman trains with coach Gregory Cort at the Rose Hall Jammers Gym.

All six boxers are expected to be featured during the Patrick Forde Memorial International completion, scheduled for February 17 at the National Gymnasium.