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November edition of Friday Night Fights… Mark Austin ready for most important fight of career
Mark Austin is intensifying training sessions as he prepares to enter the ring against Iwan ‘Pure Gold’ Azore for the latter fighter’s CABOFE welterweight belt on Friday November 30 next. This is a crucial fight for Austin whose career is at the crossroads following several losses recently.
Kwesi Jones tries to block from a Mark Austin assault during sparring sessions last week.
Austin has had a dream start to his career until he fought Clive Atwell to a draw and then was knocked out by Revlon Lake. Two defeats at the hands of Barbadian, Miguel Antoine and another knockout loss to Simeon ‘Candyman’ Hardy forced him off the scene with a record of 11 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw. He has since recoiled to assess his future in the sport.
That period of introspection is now over and Austin feels that he is ready to resume his career. His coach, George Oprecht, also nurtures confidence in his charge and has been putting him through his paces, intent on winning the Azore bout.
Over the past few weeks of preparation, even the uninitiated could have sensed the purpose and determination oozing out of Austin as he applied himself to his tasks.
He sparred with Edmond DeClou and pounded away on the heavy bag under his coach’s guidance. One gets the impression that Austin will be going for a knockout in order to announce his return to combat in the most spectacular fashion.
But Azore is no slouch and has managed to quell his temper which had been his downfall in all of his losses. He has not been enjoying the best of times in the ring and lost to Hardy in January this year. Azore is more experienced having fought in Trinidad and Tobago as well as Canada.
The Trinidad based Guyanese has so far compiled a record of 15 wins and 5 losses with a knockout ratio of 13.4%. Should the real Iwan Azore turn up on fight night Austin will be required to dig real deep to clinch the win. In other bouts, Richard Williamson will match skills against Rudolph Fraser in a six rounds featherweight contest and the Berbician will have to be at his best if he is to cross this hurdle.
Fraser has had a few tough bouts, against Clive Atwell and Dexter Marques, losing both. He will be on the redemption trail and since he is the more experienced, will want to stamp his authority.
He will have to be circumspect as, though he is a young professional, Williamson has a wealth of experience as an amateur. He will also be anxious to reinstate his confidence after foolishly allowing himself to be disqualified after clearly being the superior boxer against Charlton Skeete a few fights ago; that was before he opted to hit his man while he was down. The referee had disqualified him for that.
Junior/welterweight, Gladwin Dorway will also be required to dig deep when he faces veteran boxer, Lindener, Cassius Matthews over 6 rounds while another Berbician, Kishawn Simon will face off with Patrick Boston in a 6 rounds catchweight affair.
The latter pugilist has compiled 7 wins from his 16 fights with 6 losses and 3 draws while Dorway is a relatively young professional with 2 fights against David Thomas and Anson Green; he won both.
Boxing buffs will also be treated to 4 international amateur bouts where local boxers will face off with their Trinidadian counterparts. The admission price remains at $1000 for adults while children will pay $500.
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