Guyana Fight Night activities resume

Jan 25, 2013 Sports

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Mark Austin/Gladwin Dorway bout should be a scorcher  

Tonight’s boxing card that pits the skills of several local pugilists might not appear glittering on paper but the Mark Austin/Gladwin Dorway 12 rounds encounter for the local Jnr./Middleweight belt, should be enticing enough to prompt local boxing buffs to flock the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) when the Guyana Boxing Board of Control presents Guyana Fight Night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) this evening.
It will be remembered the Austin had had a glorious start to his career, defeating all comers until he faced former lightweight champion, Revlon Lake and suffered a humiliating knockout. He also lost to Barbadian, Miguel Antoine and the pundits felt that he should pack it in.
Displaying grit and determination after a self imposed hiatus from combat, Austin returned and earned a convincing victory over Troy Lewis and afterward signaled that he was back to reclaim his place as one of the leading local contenders.
In the meantime, Dorway had chalked up four convincing wins, and while one admits that his opponents were not among the highly rated locally, one cannot dispute that the victory was incisive and definitive; none of his opponents survived to the final bell. It means much to the youngster from the Ancient County that he has managed to break into the local ratings with a lucrative spot and one cannot help but note his high level of confidence which has prompted him to issue a challenge to those pugilists at the top echelons of his division.
Austin has answered the call and Dorway could not have asked for a better opponent to test his skills. However, one wonders if he is indeed ready for such a stern challenge.
Other than his losses to Lake and Antoine, Austin had had a grueling encounter with local featherweight and lightweight champion, Clive Atwell and managed to hold him to a draw. Dorway is still to register five rounds in any one fight after all of his bouts were abbreviated; he will find that the psychological impact of entering the second phase of a championship bout ( 5 rounds and upwards), can be somewhat challenging and can tamper with the confidence of any inexperienced pugilist.
Austin, on the other hand, has battled against the best in the division and has chalked up dozens of rounds in the process. He will obviously feel that his experience could win out.
The fight is shaping up to be one of youth and enthusiasm, as in the case of Dorway, against experience and wit, as in the case of Austin. One tends to believe that Austin holds the edge but boxing has had some strange twists that have defied conventional wisdom. One just has to be there to witness the punches to appreciate what is in store.
Delon Allicock and Charlton Skeete had quite a lot to say at the pre-fight press conference and the time has arrived to put up or shut up. Relatively new in the professional ranks, both fighters still possesses the amateur approaches where punches are thrown in bunches so the bout seems to be heading for a slugfest with the fitter boxer coming out triumphant.
Berbician, Richard Williamson and his former coach, Orlan Rogers go after each other over 6 rounds in a super/bantamweight affair. Rogers had once trained Williamson, yet the latter boxer is confident that he could take his teacher to school. Rogers told Williamson that while he (Rogers) had taught him a lot, he has retained some of his knowledge. He said that he will be employing those techniques tonight and will ‘teach the youth a thing or two about the sport.’ Williamson, on the other hand, is adamant that he had learned enough to take out his former coach. In what has developed into ‘the student versus the teacher’ scenario, Williamson is spouting confidence and has threatened that after tonight his former coach will return to his coaching duties as he (Williamson) will end his career in the ring.
Fans had had to swallow a bitter pill when it was revealed that Barbadian, Shawn ‘The Sniper’ Cox will no longer be coming to keep his ring date with Kwesi ‘Lightening Struck Assassin’ Jones.  However, boxing officials are adamant that the remaining bouts should provide boxing buffs with an evening of solid entertainment.
The welterweight bout between Anson Green and Berbician, Dereck Richmond has replaced the Jones/Cox bout and the two will battle over 4 rounds in the night’s opener.
Otherwise, the executive of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) in its bid to enhance the fortunes of its charges have identified eight pugilists to participate on the card. Jaimi Kellman of the Young Achievers (YA) will oppose Kevon Mullings of the Harpy Eagles in the 55-59lbs category while John Moore of the Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) will battle Shaquille Simon of the Pocket Rocket Boxing Gym (PRBG). Their bout will be in the 70-74lbs class. Cordel Walcott of the Essequibo Boxing Gym (EBG) will then oppose Tyron Lashley of the Rosehall Jammers (RHJ) in the 90-94lbs class while Quincy Boyce (GDF) and David Moore (RHJ) will bring the amateur segment to a close in the 119-124lbs.
Patrons will be required to pay an entrance fee of $1000 and $500 for adults and children respectively while the first bell sounds at 20:00hrs sharp. There will be no live televised broadcast but patrons will be afforded an opportunity to see the action on a later broadcast.

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