Eastman and Jones to battle for local Light Heavyweight title

Mar 16, 2011 Sports

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Organizers of the monthly ProAm boxing cards were forced to effect a change to this month end’s bout between local light/heavyweight pugilist, Kwesi Jones and his Barbadian based Guyanese counterpart, Cleveland Fraser, after negotiations with the latter fighter fell through.

Jones will now fight former European champion and world rater, Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman for the local light/heavyweight title.
Former Secretary of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), Trevor Arno confirmed yesterday that the change became necessary after officials of the GBBC were informed that the Barbados based Guyanese had incurred certain problems during his training sessions and was unable to keep his ring date. Mr. Arno informed that his colleagues had immediately instituted earlier agreed upon contingency measures and had no problem adjusting to the new development.
Otherwise, the card remains the same with Simeon ‘Candy Man’ Hardy opposing Cassius Matthews in a four rounds welterweight scrap while Sharon Ward comes up against Veronica Blackman in a 4 rounds catchweight affair. Top super/middleweight contenders Edmond DeClou and Eversley Browne round off the card in a super/middleweight clash over 4 rounds.
The boxers training out of the Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis Boxing Gym (ALBG) were hard at work when Kaieteur sport visited that facility Monday evening. Those in attendance were Pauline London, Kwesi Jones and Eversley Browne. George ‘Kanchi’ Oprecht was in charge of the sessions and revealed that all of his charges were pumped up and rearing to go.
Jones enters the fray with a psychological advantage over Eastman after scoring a lopsided unanimous decision in their bout in September last year.
However, there are two distinct differences in the upcoming bout. The first bout was contested in the super/middleweight, one division lower and was over a 4 rounds distance, as against 12 rounds for the upcoming bout.
It must also be remembered that in the September encounter, the pundits had berated Eastman for accepting the abbreviated bout especially since he (Eastman) is generally a late fighter. Those pundits are now in Eastman’s corner since they believe that with the bout now scheduled for twelve rounds ‘The Battersea Bomber’ will dictate the pace in the early rounds and subsequently turn up the heat in the latter against Jones who lacks the requisite experience, and is suspected to lack the requisite fitness level for a bout of such grueling magnitude.
Jones scoffs at this notion saying that he is confident of replicating the feat of last year. He said that he has been able to uncover Eastman’s Achilles heel and while remaining guarded in his prediction, boasted that he will once again exploit those weaknesses.
“Eastman had had his time; this is my time now,” declared Jones. He said that he is really applying himself to his training so that he comes out victorious once again. “I have a few surprises for the Battersea Bomber in this fight,” he declared.
Meanwhile, Hardy has not relinquished his garrulous disposition saying that he will teach Matthews a thing or two in the fistic sport. Hardy is still the holder the historic 20 seconds knockout over Patrick Boston in an earlier edition of the card.
Naturally, he nurtures ambitions of shaving down the time by a few more seconds. He has recently complained that most of the local fighters in his division are avoiding him and pointed to his bout against Mark Murray in last month’s edition of the card which was aborted after the latter fighter inexplicably failed to keep his ring date. “I am hoping that Matthews retain his nerve and show up for our bout,” he said.
Matthews is rounding off preparations in Linden and could not be immediately reached for a rebuttal. However, during his last visit to the Capital City for the signing ceremony, the lanky fighter had intimated that he will be in the best shape of his life and further warned Hardy to come prepared for a tough bout.
Pauline London, usually talkative at the preflight press conferences has shown that she is prepared to do as much fighting as talking. Her epic encounters with Shelly ‘The Boom’ Gibson, where she prevailed on both occasions, and her shindig with Debbie Tyson has made her the most sought after local female fighter. This month end she will square off with Veronica Blackman in a fight that promises unbridled action.
These two were engaged in several hectic verbal and subsequent physical, exchanges at previous press conferences and while engaged in three previous fights. They have developed a genuine dislike for each other after London has chalked up two victories over Blackman while the latter pugilist has turned around the tables once in their trilogy. This bout will decide once and for all which is the better fighter is.  Fans can come expecting leathers from gong to gong.
Meanwhile, officials of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) have selected eight boxers to compete in the amateur segment of the card.
Among them are lightweight Teresa London and junior/flyweight Carol Ann Bess, the two boxers selected to represent this country in the World Female Youth Games scheduled for Turkey from April 21-May 1.
London opposes Amanda Charles while Bess squares off with Ansilla Norville. Then there is the welterweight bout featuring Republican Nankumar Singh, recently adjudged the most exciting amateur boxer when the GBBC held its awards ceremony. He will box with Mark George, while Romano Clarke will square off against Nankumar’s gym mate, Delroy Nero, also in the junior/welterweight division.
The fights get underway from 20:00hrs on Friday March 25 next and those unable to go to the venue can tune in to NCN channel eleven for a live blow by blow broadcast. Otherwise, admission remains at an affordable $1,000 the first bell sounds at 20:00hrs.

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