BORN in the Ancient County of Berbice, middleweight Howard `The Battersea Bomber’ Eastman won an easy points-decision over Nigerian Jerry Elliott on September 24, 2004. The 10-round fight was held at the Ice Arena in Nottinghamshire, England.

Eastman, 33 years old at the time, dropped Elliott who was five years younger, in the ninth round. The bout was a precursor to Eastman’s biggest payday. Five months later, the Guyanese collected an `upper’ six-figure cheque for trading punches with undisputed middleweight king, Bernard `The Executioner’ Hopkins.

The American won via Unanimous Decision to hand Eastman the second defeat of his career. The orthodox boxer, who hails from New Amsterdam but fought out of England at the time, had his first world title challenge in November 2001.

He battled American William Joppy for the World Boxing Association (WBA) middleweight title but lost by a Majority Decision, despite dominating the fight and dropping Joppy in the last round. In a distinguished career, the Rastafarian Eastman won the Guyana, European and Commonwealth middleweight titles.

Eastman will turn 50 on December 8 and from a total of 62 fights; he secured 49 victories (38 KOs) and lost 13. His last fight was on June 18, 2014 against Jamaican Tsetsi Davis.  He remains the last man to defeat Guyana’s first world champion Andrew `Six Head’ Lewis.