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S&S Boxing Promotions Group mulls expansion strategies for local pugilists
By Michael Benjamin
Less than one week after promoting double title bouts between Leon Gilkes and Lennox Allen for the local super/middleweight title, and Leon ‘Hurry Up’ Moore up against Dexter Marques for the local bantamweight crown, popular businessman, Stanford Soloman, is reorganizing his group to encompass other major roles in professional boxing, he envisages would create positive changes on the local boxing scene.
Sanford made this disclosure at an exclusive interview with Kaieteur Sport yesterday afternoon.
To this end, the head of S&S Promotions has organised a meeting, scheduled for this morning, with the head of Holland’s Enterprise Promotions (HEP), Carwyn Holland, to discuss strategies to implement his plans as well as explore the ramifications.
After extensive efforts Stanford Soloman (centre) was able to secure sponsorship from Troy Cadagon of beverage giants, Ansa MCal (at right) and Scotia Bank rep Jennifer Cipriani.
At the moment Moore is under the managerial tutelage of Holland and Australian Kirk Pugen. Allen was recently contracted to Holland, but the two had severed ties after failing to arrive at a compromise over the statutes of their arrangement when Allen was in the USA, on a training sojourn with former world middleweight champion, Bernard ‘The Executioner’ Hopkins.
Yesterday, Holland confirmed that they had reached an amicable settlement and as such, Allen is free to enter into any arrangement he so wishes.
Meanwhile, Holland disclosed that the meeting with Solomon was convened to discuss the possibility of staging a bout between Moore and an American to be named later, for the North American Boxing Association (NABA) title, here in Guyana. Holland said that he had had discussions with Vice President of the World Boxing Association and President of the NABA, George Martinez who had given the go ahead for his group to commence negotiations for the bout. He said that he is currently targeting September month end as a suitable time for the fight.
Holland said that he will solicit Soloman’s expert financial advice to make the fight a possibility. He said that if Moore gets past this hurdle he would automatically earn a spot in the top five rankings of the World Boxing Council (WBC).
Holland further intimated that once Moore wins the NABA crown and secure a ranking among the top ten fighters, he would be eligible for a crack at the title. Holland said that he plans to approach the executive of the WBC with a request to stage the title bout in Guyana.
Meanwhile, boxing promoter and head of S&S Boxing Promotions, Stanford Soloman, is reorganising his group to encompass other major roles in professional boxing. He feels that with the right applications and strategies, he could change the flagging fortunes of local boxers.
The popular businessman, who recently turned promoter, is confident that his input can create the kind of changes that can witness an improvement in the quality of the actual fights and by extension, increased support for local boxing cards.
Soloman emphasised a need for drastic applications if the sport is to survive. It is with such objectives in mind that he had organised the meeting with the Holland. The astute businessman said that at the moment Holland is tying up the ends for Moore’s NABA clash. He also said that Moore’s opponent would be known sometime today.
Soloman is the latest businessman to attempt to lift boxing out of its dire straits. To date, he has promoted three boxing cards. Since taking up the challenge, he has had to contend with hostile boxing buffs who felt that in recent times they have been shortchanged. This has caused a drastic reduction in the level of support to boxing cards.
Several promotional groups have attempted to revive the spirits of boxing buffs with cards that appeared to be mouth watering. Former WBC welterweight champion Andrew ‘Sixheads’ Lewis’ much touted bout against ‘Deadly’ Denny Dalton fizzed out into a major disappointment after Lewis decided to quit on his stool. Howard Eastman’s clash against Gilkes did not materialise after Eastman got himself into a tiff with the law, and the list of disappointment continues.
Naturally, boxing buff became disgusted and fed up and no amount of cajoling could convince them to support future cards.
The top promoters like Odinga Lumumba, Keith Bazilio, and Herman Harris among others, decided that they could not continue to promote after incurring such huge losses.
The economic downturn further worsened the situation and, unable to procure adequate corporate help, the promoters lost interest and threw in the towel, casting the sport into chaos.
After a prolonged drought, with the Guyana Boxing Board of control organising a few cards in the interim, Soloman came to the fore.
He did not encounter a pleasing situation. Still fuming after doling out large sums to see local boxers in action against mediocre foreign opposition, boxing buffs showed their resentment by staying away from fights. ‘King Soloman,’ as Stanford Soloman is familiarly called, decided to enter the fray, even amidst such hostilities.
Like his predecessors, he nurtures grand ambitions for the success of local boxers. As such, he is prepared to invest heavily in order to create a much needed change of fortunes for the local pugilists.
Meanwhile, former secretary of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), Trevor Arno, lauded the move but warned that it could backfire where other promoters may not have resources to work with.
He wished the new promoter well but pointed to the many negative influences that could thwart Soloman’s efforts.
Arno further opined that in order for any promoter to be successful, the boxers must understand their respective roles and work assiduously towards them. Arno is optimistic that such partnerships can have a positive effect on the sport.
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