By Sean Devers
SUNDAY night is boxing night at the National Gymnasium, as the Guyana Boxing Association’s (GBA’s) Patrick Ford Memorial International Boxing Card is slated to commence from 19:00hrs.

Guyana’s first Olympian in Boxing since John Douglas in 1996 Olympics, 23-year-old Keevin Allicock, will battle 27-year-old Samuel Greene of Suriname, for the Featherweight title in an eagerly anticipated re-match.

The Guyanese pugilist defeated the Dutch boxer in the Terrence Ali National Open Boxing Championships last December and Greene is coming for revenge.

Held in memory of Patrick Ford, who died on November 13, 2011 at age 54 after winning the WBC FECABOX featherweight title in 1979 and the Commonwealth featherweight title in 1980, this tournament will include boxers from Guyana, Suriname, Barbados, St Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago.

Speaking on the ‘Sean Devers Sports Watch’ Radio programme on Tuesday night, Promoter of this year’s event, Albert ‘Mc Donald’ Robinson, encouraged fans to come in their numbers since entrance fee was just $1,000 for ring side and $500 for stands.

“There will be a drinks and Food Bar inside the Gymnasium while music will be provided by a sound system and the GDF Band Corps” added the promoter, who explained that since the Cliff Anderson National Sports Hall is being rehabilitated, the Gymnasium was used.

Guyana’s top boxers Allicock; NSC & GBA’s Boxer of the Year Desmond Amsterdam; Colin Lewis, and Troy Glasgow, in addition to the Jackman siblings (Abiola and Alisha) will be a part of 12 bouts carded for the night.

It promises to be a night of fistic fury and riveting action is expected in the fights which will have ‘Ring Girls’ displaying the rounds.

Guyana’s Jamal Eastman will come up against Domelzo Schet from Suriname while another Surinamese, Greene, will be battling Allicock.

Quincy Boyce of Guyana will fight another pugilist from Guyana’s Dutch Neighbors, Richard Evert, while Brian Harris, who won a ‘Triple Crown’ in the Terrence Ali National Open Boxing Championships last December, will match gloves with T&T’s Jaden Castillano.

Joel Williamson will trade punches with Bajan Jeremiah Toussaint, while Colin Lewis will oppose Nathan Debesette and Troy Glasgow could provide a slug-fest against Surinamese Leandro Dongo in a clash of the big men.

Amsterdam, who won bronze at the AMBC Elite Championships in Ecuador and bronze at the South American Games in Paraguay, will go toe-to-toe with Trinidadian Nickelle Joseph while Jullius Kesney will do battle with Bajan Ju Sean Shepard.

In the female bouts, St Lucian Nikaela Khodra will match skills with Trinidadian Leeann Boodram; Abiola Jackman will fight Bajan Kamara Stuart while her sister Alisha Jackman will contend with Shawnelle Hamid from the Twin-Island Republic.

President of the GBA and Director of Sport, Steve Neville informed that the three Bajans are already here while the lass from St Lucia, Nikaela Khodra, who will be going to compete (along with the Jackman siblings) at the 2023 IBA’s women’s World Boxing Championships in India from March 15 to 31, is expected here tomorrow while the contingents from Suriname and T&T are expected to arrive Guyana on Saturday

A press conference is set for tomorrow at 11:00hrs at the La France Restaurant and bar, Charlotte Street, Georgetown.