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Atwell is a product of the Friday Night fights – GBB President
Guyanese Boxer Clive Atwell will have the biggest fight of his relatively short Professional career to date when he matches gloves with WBC Featherweight Champion 32-year-old Jhonny Gonzalez on May 24 in Mexico as the Mexican defends his title which he won with an upset first round KO of Abner Mares last August in the USA.
Gonzalez wants to stay active until Mares is ready to face him in a rematch. Mares who was scheduled to come up against Gonzalez in Mexico City in February was forced to withdraw because of a rib injury.
Clive Atwell is flanked by his management team Ronald Burch-Smith (right) and Andrew Arjoon
González is a two-division world champion, having formerly held the WBO Bantamweight Championship and also he won three master degrees on science.
At a press conference yesterday at Abdool’s Insurance Brokers head-office in Georgetown, the 25-year-old Atwell, who now lives in Dominica, disclosed that he is ready for the fight despite his inexperience compared to his opponent’s.
Atwell has 12 wins and 1 draw in a 13-fight professional career. His last seven fights have come via knock-outs. However, has never fought outside of Guyana or an opponent of Gonzalez’s pedigree.
The Mexican has 63 professional fights, winning 55 of them including 47 by way of knock out while suffering eight losses. But Atwell is not fazed by this and explained that once he can condition his mind for the job, that will be the most important thing in his favor.
“I know he is a good fighter but I am confident that once I am properly prepared I can beat him. Of course fighting in Mexico where the altitude is much higher than here will be a new experience for me. We should arrive there at least one week before the fight,” the Boxer explained.
His Management team of Ronald Burch-Smith and Andrew Arjoon of Dogpound Promotions said that they plan to arrive earlier to give their fighter the best possible opportunity to acclimatize.
He thanked the Boxing Board for helping to produce another World Champion and said the hard work has now started. Atwell admitted that he is not at peak fitness as yet but assured that come fight night he will be ready.
When he was told that he looked a bit chubby he said because of his body type he would usually ‘swell up’ if he stops a rigorous training programme.
Atwell had told this newspaper recently that boxing activity in his adopted homeland is somewhat stifled and he merely engages in roadwork activities and other boxing related activities while staying fit.
“Boxing is not such a big thing there so I stay in shape with the basic exercises and roadwork until I receive an offer to fight,” said Atwell.
He said that he jogs for approximately 15 miles per week in the morning. “During those sessions I also engage in shadow boxing and jump rope exercises along with several rounds on the heavy bag,” said Atwell. He also said that he engages in weightlifting sessions at least twice per week.
Asked if he had the opportunity to see videos of Gonzales the Guyana reveled that he does not believe in focusing on that since a fighter could change his style overnight.
President of the Guyana Boxing Board Peter Abdool said that the Government and especially Director of Sports Neil Kumar must be highly commended for its contribution to the fistic sport locally.
“The Sports Ministry has been actively involved in the Friday Night Fights and it must be noted that Atwell is a product of those fight cards,” Abdool informed.
Abdool added that Dexter Marks is another fighter that he hopes gets a crack at a World title and was high in praise of Leon Moore who is working along with Atwell while describing Lennox Daniels as the best Boxing Coach in the Caribbean.
Kumar said he always knew that Atwell had it in him to fight for a world title which in itself is a tremendous feat.
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