On Saturday April 24, Guyana’s Clive Atwell (12-1-1) fought Mexico’s Jhonny Gonzalez (56-8) for the World Boxing Council’s (WBC) Featherweight title at the Convention Centre in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico. 

Referee Laurence Cole stopped the fight with just three seconds remaining in the tenth of the 12-round encounter, after a clash of heads opened a gash above the left eye of Gonzalez midway through the fight, but the rigours of the bout worsened it and led to the stoppage.
But for the Guyanese, it was a loss which was felt even before he entered the ring. Atwell, in an exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport, described his first world title shot as his “worst experience in boxing”.
At 25 years old, Atwell who had an illustrious career as an amateur, moved on to not only win the Guyana Featherweight title, but also the CABOFE WBC Light Welterweight and Featherweight belts.
Atwell confirmed that his purse for the fight was US$15000 and when everything was taken care of and all parties involved were paid, he pocketed approximately US$4500 which he pointed out “that can’t do nothing for me, it’s not even chump change”.
Asked how it was divided, Atwell said “well, I gave my coach 15% because honestly, they worked just as hard as I did and really got me ready and I feel it was justified. Management got 33 1/3 % and I’m expected to pay certain expenses and miscellaneous.”
“I must say that the journey to the fight was harder than the fight itself. In the ring, I felt like I normally do and I still feel that I was robbed by the decision given, but that was expected, I knew I had to knock him out because I know he’s fighting at home and it would be hard to beat him any other way,” Atwell said.
“But in my camp, I really felt the pain of being used and I think I realised that a little too late. My coach and trainer Lennox Daniels was there for me, Leon Moore – someone who has been supportive of my career was there for me as well, in my corner but it was little they could do,” Atwell recalled.
Atwell was hesitant in recounting what transpired in Mexico and leading up to his first World title fight, only saying “I will hold a press conference when I get back from Dominica, but I just want to go home to my wife who just gave birth and upon return, the media will know everything from myself, management and everyone. So I don’t really want to say much.”
“As an amateur, boxing used to be my hobby and even up to my first couple of fights as a pro, but then I changed that and put on the business cap.
It’s hard for any fighter, especially if you’re now coming up, to focus on business and fighting, that’s why you have people in your camp who should be looking out for you and making sure that you have the best possible treatment”.
“I invest a lot into my craft, this is my life on the line every time I enter the ring, so I make sure that I’m well prepared, just like any other top-rated fighter you see or know of.
“I spend a lot of money preparing for my fights, hoping one day I’ll have a shot at a world title and make it big. The thing is I did but it has left me feeling bitter and though I feel I did beat Jhonny Gonzalez, I feel like I fought harder outside of the ring.”
Meanwhile, a source close to the fighter and his team said from day one, the Agricola resident was being set up but was too caught up in basking in the glory of his success of landing a world title fight to realise that the deal would have benefited everyone else, except him.
“I knew everything and at the time, he really was being fed with a pack of rubbish and knowing the type of person he is, this was a dream come true and he was happy. He had no clue when he was travelling, how he was getting to Mexico or anything and he couldn’t question them. They kept him out of the loop,” the source said.
“When he got to Mexico he had to travel for six hours by car to get to where he was actually staying and fighting and the accommodation was a brothel.
“But this young man really went through a lot to do that good, and Guyana should be proud of him,” the source noted.
(By Rawle Toney)