GBA development boxing tournament…

WHEN the GBA’s second development boxing tournament culminated in the wee hours of Friday morning, the good-sized gathering left the National Gymnasium well entertained.

The raucous gathering was on its feet during the later bouts as Surinamese Donn-G Sadhoe (Schoolboys), Ryan Rogers (Junior), Tiquan Sampson (Youth) and Dwayne July (Elite) were adjudged the ‘Best Boxer’ in their respective categories.

With pulsating music emanating from the ‘Shocking Sounds’ music set, a bar providing liquid refreshments, the Nuts Man showing his dancing skills while balancing his tray on his head, and the riveting action, especially in the international fights, the atmosphere was fantastic despite another late start.

Pace and Power Boxing Gym (PPBG) was coached by Mike Parris, Guyana’s only Olympic Medalist and the only boxer in the English-speaking Caribbean with a medal at the Olympics.
One of the new gyms located in Albouystown, PPBG showed great improvement, winning Gold in the first two bouts of the night.

Dreshawn Whitney beat PPBG gym-mate Nicolas Ashbey in the 33-35kg Schoolboy’s division, while Izah Daniels was victorious against Andrew Rogers from the New Amsterdam Boxing Gym (NABG).

In the first International bout, 13-year-old Surinamese Donn-G Sadhoe, who impressed on the opening night, looked well-organised and technically correct as he clinically knocked Guyana’s Jaden Fileen unconscious within two minutes of the first round.

Sadhoe, also a Tai Kick Boxer, launched a relentless attack on the Guyanese with a flurry of head and body shots.

Watched by the hyped-up crowd, which included his mother, Sadhoe hurt his opponent with well-executed combinations which resulted in the Referee administrating two standing 8-counts.
A straight right to Fileen’s chest sent him sprawling to the canvas. After suffering what seemed to be a seizure, the Vergenogen Boxing Gym (VBG) pugilist was rushed to the hospital by the GDF medical team.

Thankfully, Fileen returned to the venue later in the night, and according to the VBG Coach Clifton Moore, he was a bit dazed but informed him he was ‘OK’ and well.

Sadhoe took the Gold and was adjudged best schoolboy boxer.

The other two international fights were not as successful for Sadhoe’s compatriots who lost despite both boxers being involved in pulsating battles.

Arguably the night’s most entertaining bout was the heavyweight contest between Guyana’s Dwayne July and Richard Everd from Suriname.

The two ‘big boys’ went at each other with all guns blazing, and traded power punches in their slugfest.

While the Dutch fighter used his left jabs to the head, the Guyanese opted for body shots, as the pair went toe-to-toe, mostly fighting at close range and hitting each other with hard shots.
July hit his man with the cleaner shots, but Everd was not afraid to counterpunch with shots of his own, and at times hurt the Guyanese.

However, the fast-paced action took a toll on the stamina of both boxers.

But it was Everd who looked the more exhausted as they looked for that elusive knock-out punch.

When the dust had settled, the fans were running wildly, waving the Golden Arrowhead.

The judges gave July the victory, on points, as he took the Gold and the Best Boxer award in the Elites.

The last international bout of the night between Super Heavyweights Emmanuel Pomey and the slightly bigger Leandro Dongo commenced after midnight.

Those who stayed to the end got their $500 worth of a riveting display of fistic fury.

Pomey attacked the body of Dongo with punches in bunches, and his fans went wild. But Dongo retaliated with a left/right combination, but they did little damage to the fitter-looking Guyanese.

Dongo was hit on the back of his head in the second round and grimaced in pain in the high-intensity battle.

In the final round, Dongo’s punches lacked power, as Pomey kept moving forward, looking for the kill.

Dongo, who gave a good account of himself, resorted to leaning on Pomey and employing the holding tactic as the bout ended with a win for the Guyanese.

The Jackman siblings were involved in a female exhibition bout, while Olympian Keevin Allicock presented tokens from MVP Sports and Smalta’s Back-to-School promotion to each of the four pugilists who got Best Boxer trophies.

In other results:
Junior 51-53kg: Ryan Rogers FYF beat Isaacs Ruiz PPBG
Ronaldo Hunte Police beat Ken Harvey PPBG
Elites: Flyweight 49-51 kg Dexter Wray Police beat Ronaldo Sutton GDF
Bantamweight 52-54kg Julian Clarke Police beat Lincon Murray GDF
Lightweight 58-60 kg Septon Barton FYF beat Clinton Clarke
Junior Welterweight 61-63kg Colin Lewis GDF (Walk Over) from Zonoho Lyttle VBG
Welterweight 64-67 kg Emmanuel Sancho Police beat Osias Prince Police
Middleweight 72-75 kg Shaquille Daw GDF beat Colin Hinds GDF
Cruiserweight 81-86 kg Aluko Bess GDF beat Hullman Bovell Police