Controversy erupts as GDF marches off with champion gym honours

Sep 14, 2010 Sports

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The Guyana Defence Force scored 16 points and was duly declared champion gym in the senior category when the Michael Parris Open Boxing Championships concluded at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) Sunday evening.
The Republican Boxing Gym placed second after scoring 5 points with the Harpy Eagle Boxing Gym scoring 4 points to occupy the third place. The Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) bounced back to score 7 points and take the honours in the junior category followed by the Essequibo Boxing Gym (5), Harpy Eagles (4) and Central New Amsterdam Boxing Gym (1).
Clevon Rock (GDF) won the Best Boxer award in the senior category while Stephon Joseph (FYF) won its equivalent in the junior category.
When the decision was announced for the Rock/Nankumar bout, opinions were divided over the fairness. Factions from both boxers’ corner were convinced that their boxer had won forcing a temporary halt to the proceedings while officials attempted to restore order.
Indeed, the Republican boxer was his old attacking self as Rock, the taller boxer, chose to engage in a toe to toe brawl. This proved his undoing as Nankumar managed to drift him backwards with several salvoes. As the round wound down Nankumar lashed out and Rock wilted but managed to steady up and finish the round.
Recognizing that his opponent was hurt, Nankumar applied the pressure but Rock, intent on establishing his dominance, unwisely opted for a slugfest. It proved his undoing as Nankumar, more comfortable in this department, launched a two fisted attack after which Rock slumped to the canvass and held onto his shoulder indicating that he was in pain. Inexplicably, the referee failed to execute a mandatory 8 count, commanding Rock to resume combat.
The lanky fighter re-entered the fray and slammed home a perfect two punch combination to Nankumar’s head. It was now Nankumar that was subjected to a mandatory 8 count. That assault proved to be Rock’s final bit of glory as Nankumar upped the ante and peppered him with several head and body shots that had him on unsteady legs. Nankumar seemed to find renewed energy and even though, in his anxiety to hurt his man he was a bit sloppy in his punching, but he seemed to have done enough to earn the nod. The three judges had different opinions and awarded the bout to Rock.
Fighting in the juniors’ category, 118-125lbs, Joseph survived a first round onslaught where he and Travis Fraser stood toe to toe and dished out leathers that had the small crowd screaming on its feet. No one expected the sudden change of fortunes when the bell to start the second round sounded. Joseph rushed out and delivered several crunching shots to Fraser’s head that had the boxer from the Ancient County back pedaling. The end came shortly afterwards when Joseph connected with a flush shot to Fraser’s head and the Berbician crumpled in a heap for the full count. The time was 24 seconds into the second round.
Benjamin Henry (NWBG) was given a baptism of fire at the hands of Delon Allicock in their featherweight clash. Both boxers started tentatively and it was Allicock that drew first blood when he unleashed a two fisted attack to Henry’s body and head. It took the small frame boxer from the Barima/Waini region the better part of the first stanza to assert himself but when he did he matched his opponent’s every blow.
Allicock changed his approach in the second round, punching and moving which forced Henry to attack but he was guilty of lunging with most of his punches falling short of the mark. On several occasions also, he was warned for ducking below the belt and when he refused to heed the referee’s warning, he had a point deducted from his score.
In the end, Allicock prevailed by dint of more experience and better tact.
Other results were: junior/welterweight, Bert Braithwaite (GDF) won after the referee stopped his bout against his gym mate Romono Clarke. Another soldier, Eon Bancroft overwhelmed his gym mate, Lester Fraser and forced the referee to terminate the one sided contest in 2:13secs of the first stanza; Devon Boatswain won unanimously from Republican Alfred Benjamin; Markember Pierre (GDF) floored his gym mate, Samuel Primo with a wicked body shot that rearranged all the ‘wares’ in his kitchen and left him prostrate on the canvass for the full count at 2:02 of the third round.
The heavyweight bout was contested between two pugilists from the Republican boxing Gym, Trelon Munroe and Brian Bailey. The former boxer eventually prevailed by a unanimous verdict while Kemol Emmanuel earned a decision over his gym mate, Murtland McDonald to bring the curtains down on three nights of competitive action to a close.

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