Latest update November 23rd, 2024 1:00 AM
May 01, 2009 Sports
By Michael Benjamin
Boxing buffs may yet get an opportunity to see the super middleweight fight for that title between Howard ‘The Battersea Bomber’ Eastman and Lennox ‘Pretty Boy’ Allen as the promoters have begun fresh negotiations to make this possible.
Eastman, detained by the police hours before he was scheduled to match gloves with Allen last Sunday night, has been recently given pre-trial liberty and President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), Peter Abdool said that the promoter, in conjunction with his organization, is exploring the possibility of getting the two fighters in the ring at the earliest opportunity.
Abdool stressed that he was not prepared to be judgmental on the Eastman matter and preferred to let the relevant authorities deal with the issue. However, he pointed out that the GBBC had alerted all of the boxers that comprised the card of the Board’s intention of conducting random drug tests after their respective bouts.
“About two months ago, when negotiations were at the initial stages we warned all of the fighters that we were going to perform random drug tests in order to ascertain whether there was a developing problem,” Abdool related. He said that the decision was not necessarily based on any report of impropriety on the part of the boxers but more from the medical prerequisites of their affiliated bodies.
“I can’t say that the Board has any suspicions regarding the use of narcotics by any of our boxers but more and more we are constrained by the criteria enacted by other world governing bodies,” Abdool disclosed.
The GBBC President said that the news of Eastman’s detention was only relayed to the Board on the morning of the fight. He said that he immediately convened an emergency meeting with his executives, including Attorney-at-Law, Bernard De Santos. “We were attempting to ascertain the nature of the offence and whether bail could have been posted,” he said.
Abdool further explained that their best efforts to contact the Commander of ‘B’ Division proved futile. However, another officer in that division told them that the offence was not a bailable one and that the Police were not prepared to compromise that stand. “I fully understood their position, the law has to be upheld but we were in a tight spot and needed to come up with an alternative,” Abdool said.
He also said that he decided to convene another meeting, this time with his executives and the promoter. “We knew that fans were coming out to see the fight and we were trying to salvage the card,” Abdool said.
He also said that they sought the services of Leon ‘The Lion’ Gilkes but negotiations broke down over a variance with the purse. “Notwithstanding this, the Shondell Alfred/Stephney George bout compensated and patrons were well entertained,” Abdool said. He also noted that even though they may have been disappointed by the turn of events the fans were well behaved and in the end enjoyed a good show.
However, the GBBC boss said that the main bout had promised much entertainment since Allen had appeared to be in his best condition and rearing to go. Abdool was also very optimistic that the fighters would face each other soon. “I spoke with Eastman and he said that he is anxious to get on with the fight. Our only problem centres on Lennox Allen’s availability,” Abdool affirmed. He said that Allen is scheduled to return to the USA to resume training on May 1. However, he is prepared to postpone his departure providing that a reasonable time is set for the bout.
Abdool said that while he wished to move ahead with negotiations, he is constrained by the court proceedings. “The Board desperately wants this fight to happen but the court proceedings take precedence,” he said. At the moment GBBC officials are awaiting word from the legal officials before they make a move.
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