At the crossroads, Clive Atwell needs the support of Guyanese government and people

Jan 08, 2016 Sports

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By Michael Benjamin
In February last year, Clive ‘The Punisher’ Atwell squared off with Jamaican Welterweight Contender champion, Sakima Mullings, and after twelve rounds of fistic fury, Atwell was crowned CABOFE super/lightweight champion.

Three months earlier, Atwell had travelled to Australia where he had engaged homeboy, Kye Mackenzie, for the interim PABA super/featherweight title and the Guyanese suffered a 10th round TKO loss.
Even before this loss, Atwell had battled with the tough Mexican, Johnny Gonsalves, in his hometown, Mexico, for the coveted WBC World Featherweight title but failed in his bid after referee, Laurence Cole, waved the bout off in the 10th round to save the Guyanese from further punishment.
It meant that Atwell had endured a tough encounter with Mullings and had suffered three brutal knockouts, all this within a nineteen month period (2014-05-24 to 2015-10-24).
The Dexter Gonsalves bout was an impromptu one after Gonsalves’ initial opponent, Iwan Azore, was ruled out after incurring an injury while training in Trinidad and Tobago. Contacted to fill the void in less than a month, Atwell unwisely took the bout and in an effort to enhance his chances, opened camp in the world famous Gleason’s gym, Brooklyn NY.
Though reports seemed to suggest that he was doing well at Gleasons, later occurrences during the (Gonsalves) bout painted a different picture. It seems painfully obvious that Atwell’s activity was not being properly (and sensibly) supervised.
This view was garnered by this writer after discussions with some key members of the Atwell training team.  Further, Atwell later revealed that he had incurred a head injury while training at the Brooklyn NY institution.
The (Dexter) Gonsalves bout was another brutal affair and though there is still uncertainty of what really transpired, what was clear was that ‘The Punisher’ crumbled to the canvass and was subsequently rushed to the Balwant Singh Hospital where he was diagnosed with massive intracranial hemorrhage and general swelling of the brain.
Consequently, neurosurgeon, Amarnauth Dukhi, performed an emergency surgery during which, part of the skull was removed thus placing Atwell’s boxing future in doubt. Pundits have often advocated that boxing is sweet science and not as brutal as the naysayers may want to propagate.  Nevertheless, there have been instances where boxers were thrown into comas after brutal affairs.
Though legislators have enacted numerous laws to make the sport safe, there have been many instances where boxers lost their lives after brutal encounters. Boxing pundits of the late seventies will remember the Patrick Forde/Cecil Fernandes bout in December 1979 when the latter pugilist fell into a coma but died while being ‘Medievaced’ to Miami to deal with his injuries.
Many boxers have often been dubbed ‘punch drunk,’ a term given to those pugilists suffering the ill effects of participation in the sport, years after they would have left the ring. The list is extensive and boxing remains the sport tabbed as the most dangerous notwithstanding the many lives lost in other disciplines like motor racing and even cricket where Australian, Phil Hughes, died after he was struck with the ball during a recent match.
Only recently, Puerto Rican boxer, Prichard ‘Digget’ Colon, defeated former Guyanese world champion, ‘Vicious’ Vivian Harris. In his next fight he became the victim of the ugly side of the sport when he was stopped in his bout with American pugilist, Terrel Williams, and had to be rushed to the hospital and underwent surgery to relieve pressure on brain injuries suffered during the bout.
There have also been instances where family members opted for euthanasia rather than seeing their loved ones suffer with little hopes of resuming a normal life. In an earlier interview moments after he was discharged from the hospital, Atwell had said that he is not yet done with the sport.
He said that the doctors had ordered further tests and had hinted the need for another surgery to address his ailment. It seems that the fallen champion is still bent on reentering the ring despite the odds which seem to suggest that he calls it a day.
Atwell’s career (and I daresay his life) is now at the crossroads; his main source of income has been jeopardized and he is appealing for help from his government, from his people. The fallen champion is appealing for this help and one wonders whether he should not receive support from boxing administrators.
If my memory serves me correct, boxing administrators have deducted a small percentage of the boxers’ purse to facilitate these eventualities. Yes, President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), Peter Abdool, had dealt with the expenses associated with Atwell’s stint at the hospital. While this is commendable, it could hardly support the needed funds required for Atwell’s long road to recovery.
Atwell said that he has written to government officials for assistance and revealed that he is still to hear from them. Maybe this missive can serve to generate the requisite interest and by extension, concomitant support, for someone who had been outstanding in his field while serving his country.
Other aspirants are taking note and the end results could very well determine their stance in representation of this country in any (sports) discipline.

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