Guyana Defence Force takes top honours in night of fistic fury

Jun 22, 2010 Sports

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Mervin Adejay cops Best Boxer accolade

By Michael Benjamin

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) amassed 15 points to take the champion gym award while Mervin Ageday turned in a classical performance to win the best boxer’s award when the curtains were drawn on the National Intermediate Boxing Championships, under the auspices of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA), at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH), Sunday evening last.
The Republican Boxing Gym had shared the top prize with the GDF in the National Novices Boxing Championships but this time around was relegated to a joint second place position with the Forgotten Youth Foundation after both entities ended on 6 points apiece.
The meager crowd support certainly did not affect the high quality of the performances and fans were treated to a night of memorable slugfests reminiscent of the days of yore. The night started with keen competition in the flyweight division when Daneshwar Narine out boxed Richard Subratee (FYF) to claim a lopsided 3-0 decision. Edwin Richards (GDF) then engaged Imran Khan (HE) in a three rounds slugfest but eventually dropped a close 2-1 decision and the flyweight title.
The bantamweight bout between Michael Jordon (FYF) and Benjamin Henry (NWBG), was a gem as both fighters demonstrated a firm aptitude of the sport amidst exchanges and good defensive tactics. Jordon (FYF) used his vast experience and variation of punches to defeat a game Henry whose determination and courage which had seen him through a torrid semi-final bout, stood him in good stead, but this time around, he failed to overcome Jordon whose experience surpasses that of any of the other fighters in the tournament. In the end the vast experienced procured by Jordon after years in the ‘square jungle’ distinguished him from his opponent and earned him the Intermediate bantamweight title.
Nandkumar Singh and Mervin Adejay’s lightweight slugfest had the small crowd on its feet even as the tide swayed in each boxer’s favour. Realizing that he was up against a strong boxer, Adejay took no chances. He adopted a jab and move technique that was paying dividends until Nandkumar caught up with him and unleashed some vicious body blows that slowed him down momentarily. The fleet footed Ageday did not allow Nandkumar to assert himself, boxing circles around the Republican boxer. Nandkumar’s limitations were glaringly apparent as he experienced difficulties landing his favourite haymaker.
Nandkumar drew first blood at the start of the second stanza when he unleashed a vicious attack that had Ageday ducking to evade the onslaught. The FYF pugilist delivered a blow meant for the body but went a mite too low forcing the referee to jump in and issue a stern warning.
Less than one minute later, Adejay erred again, this time persistently ducking to avoid Nandkumar’s onslaught. The referee deducted a point from the former boxer’s score somewhat evening up the situation. Instead of recoiling, the FYF pugilist launched a two fisted attack that floored Nandkumar and forced the third man to institute a mandatory eight count. The Republican rose and slipped in a few punches shortly before the bell sounded. Ageday took no chances in the third frame, adopting a stick and move strategy. Many times he successfully evaded Nandkumar’s flailing fists and countered with stinging combinations that clearly frustrated the Republican boxer who would have enjoyed a brawl instead of the technical approaches employed by Ageday. For his smart strategic approaches, Adejay managed to eke out a 2-1 victory.

Carlton LaFleur, the man that had stopped Guyana Defence Force representative, Clairmont Gibson in the semi-finals in 1:40secs of the first frame was matched against another soldier in the finals and was unable to repeat the feat. Gibson’s gym mate, Siltan David turned in a determined performance and managed to exact revenge when he forced the referee to call a halt to the featherweight contest in 2:48secs of the third round. The soldier demonstrated his intentions from the onset when he drove LaFleur backwards with several ramrod punches. The latter boxer retaliated with some stinging shots of his own that forced the soldier into reverse gear.
This was not for long as the toll of the heightened activity seemed to sap LaFleur’s energy allowing the soldier to launch an attack that ended when the referee instituted a mandatory 8 count. Upon resumption, David unleashed a barrage of punches and LaFleur sought refuge behind high guards. The referee allowed such tactics for several seconds and when LaFleur failed to retaliate, called off the proceedings. The time was 2:48secs of the third round. The referee’s decision caused some of LaFleur’s supporters to vehemently protest the decision.
The high standard witnessed throughout the tournament coupled with the action packed encounters could very well be indicative of the improvement of the boxers and things to come as the new executive of GABA continues to work assiduously in promoting the interests of the boxers.
Other results are: Ancella Norville (HE) dropped a 2-1 verdict to Rewinnea David to take the female bantamweight title while Ian Bancroft (GDF) convincingly outlasted his gym mate, Patrick Gordon to cart off the welterweight title.
Vanessa Robinson (PKBG) was too good for Wanetta Wayne and eventually earned a 3-0 decision in their female lightweight contest. Ron Smith (TW) had to settle for the runner up spot in his middleweight bout against Rayan Hernandez after the referee stopped their bout in the first round. Policeman, Jermain Dow failed to show up for his light/heavyweight bout against Samuel Primo and the latter boxer won by a walk over. Republican, Trelon Munroe found the going tough against in his heavyweight bout against his gym mate, Brian Bailey and quit on his stool, midway into the second round. In the final bout of the night, Keimoul Emmanuel (GDF) bullied his gym mate, Murtlan McDonald and forced the referee to call a halt to the super/heavyweight contest in the latter half of the first stanza.

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