Thirty-One Special Forces Battalion take top honours

Mar 12, 2010 Sports

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Thirty-One Special Forces Battalion amassed 31 points and were duly declared Champions when the finals of the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) Inter-Unit boxing Championships concluded at Base Camp Ayanghana Thomas Lands, Wednesday evening last.
Consequently, Sergeant Gillis who tutored the boxers of the winning unit won the prize for the best coach while Private A Rockcliffe of Infantry Battalion punched his way to the best boxer award.
Several units competed for honours and included Special Force Squadron (Sf Sqn), 4 Engineer Battalion (4 Engr Bn), Air Corps (AC) and Base Command Stephenson (BCS).
Admittedly, the boxers on show, by dint of their novice status, lacked the basic skills relevant to the fistic sport. However, they compensated with raw aggression and unbridled courage.
The action got underway from the very first bell when Junior/flyweight D. Fraser (Sf Sqn) earned a 2-1 decision over S. Gills (4 Engr Bn). Both fighters went after each other, each bent on meting out as much punishment as possible to the other. Fraser opened his account with several unorthodox punches that forced Gills into a retreat mode.
After receiving several wallops, Gills rose from his lethargy and lashed out with punches of his own. Thereafter, both principals took turns delivering some telling punches to each other’s head that sent the appreciable crowd into throes of delight.
Fraser distinguished himself in the second frame when he came out swinging. In his haste to hurt his man, he delivered several illegal blows that cost him a point. Unperturbed, the Private from Thirty-one Special Forces Battalion attacked and drove Gills back with several shots that had him in reverse mode.
Both boxers shared the limelight in the third stanza. First, Gills pushed Fraser backwards swinging lefts and rights, and then it was Fraser’s turn as he retaliated in kind. The final bell sounded with both boxers, tired but determined, locked in battle.
The bantamweight clash between M. Marshall and R. Luke was another gem. Both boxers represented Base Command Stephenson (BCS) and it appeared as though they had an in-house grouse. Indeed, it was punches in bunches as both boxers went after each other.
As the round progressed, Marshall began to distinguish himself as the better boxer and after an especially vicious combination connected to Luke’s head, the latter fighter fell on the canvass where he stayed for the full count. The time was 2:46 seconds of the first round.
The featherweight contest between G. Thompson and G. Williams was a furious affair. Thompson threw a series of punches that failed to score the desired points after the third man ruled that the blows were mere slaps rather than legal punches.
Thompson corrected his punches and attacked with venom, only this time, he was met with equal force. The stiff competition of the first stanza took its toll on both fighters and they could hardly muster the required energy to fight in the second round. On two occasions, the referee warned them to heighten the action and after they both continued to play instead of box, the referee deducted a point from their respective scores.
The referee’s decision brought about some positive results as both boxers entered the third stanza slugging for all they were worth. About midway into the round, Williams launched a spirited attack that forced Thompson through the ropes. He reentered the fray but collided with a barrage of punches that caused blood to flow from his mouth. The referee summoned the ringside doctor who, after a cursory examination, advised the stoppage. The time was 1:26 seconds of the third round.
Over the years, the light/heavyweight and the heavyweight encounters have provided the type of excitement fans crave. Once again, the boxers did not disappoint. In the light/heavyweight match up Private T. Thomas of Defense Headquarters (DHQ) opposed his colleague, R Sandy, of the same unit. Sandy wasted little time in establishing his superiority. A few thunderbolts connected to Thomas’ head and 1:40 seconds later, it was all over and Sandy was declared the winner by a technical knockout.
The heavyweight bout between S. Primo of One Infantry Battalion (OIB) and his colleague of the same unit, K. Emanuel, was brief and to the point. At the sound of the bell, Primo rushed out and pasted Emanuel with a barrage of punches. The dumpy Emanuel failed to match his colleague’s aggression and must have been relieved when the referee called a halt to the proceedings 1:13 seconds after the first bell had rung. There were also two exhibition bouts between C. Rock and C. Gibson and D. Boatswain and B. Braithwaite.
The other results of the night read: Flyweight N. Frederick (Sf Sqn) steamrolled G. Yaw, also of SfSqn and forced the referee to call a halt at 1:05 seconds of the second round. Lightweight, A. Scott (AC) insisted on breaking the rules despite several warnings from the referee. He was subsequently disqualified. His opponent was K. Lowe of 31 special Force Squadron.
Junior welterweight K. Gentle (BCS) was too good for C. Thomas, who represented Air Corps, and he earned a lopsided 3-0 decision. Middleweight L. Watson (31 Sf Sqn) eked out a 2-1 decision over his unit mate, K. Chase.
Commodore Gary Best was unavoidably absent due to pressing commitments elsewhere but other top brass of the GDF attended the forum. They included General Staff, Colonel Bruce Lovell. President and Vice President of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association, Steve Ninvalle and Maurice Rajkumar also attended the function. (Michael Benjamin)

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