Latest update April 17th, 2025 9:50 AM
Fight confirmed, Dexter Gonsalves to square off with Brazilian opponent
By Michael Benjamin
Just over two weeks after he was advised to intensify training sessions for an impending bout, recently
Dexter Marques
crowned Fecarbox junior/welterweight champion, Dexter Gonsalves, have received confirmation that his Brazilian opponent, Jonivan Barreto, has agreed to the showdown, a 10 rounds junior/welterweight affair slated for the Giftland Office Max Mall, Liliendaal ECD February 20.
This is the feature attraction of a 4 bouts card that also pits the skills of recently crowned IBF Inter-Continental bantamweight champion, Elton ‘The Bully’ Dharry, and Flyweight contenders, Dexter Marques and Mandessa Moses, all up against Brazilians to be named later. Marques and Dharry’s bouts are scheduled for 10 rounds, while Moses will engage in a 6 rounds flyweight duel.
Local light/heavyweight champion, Kwesi ‘Lightening Struck Assassin’ Jones, may have to wait just a little longer to ‘strike’ since his American opponent, Samuel Clarkson, has pulled out of their light/heavyweight encounter while citing an impending engagement. They were scheduled to fight for the World Boxing Council light heavyweight FECARBOX championship.
Officials of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) have said that they had tried to fill the breach but this might not be possible in such a short space of time.
The Dexter Gonsalves/Jonivan Barreto bout is shaping up to be an interesting affair. Born in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, Barretto stripped off his shirt in 2006 against his countryman, Adelino Jesus Santos, and stopped him in the 1st round of a scheduled 4 rounder.
The Brazilian then chalked up 5 more victories, 2 by technical knockout, before suffering the first of his 2 losses to another Brazilian, Aldimar Silva Santos. Barreto shrugged aside that disappointment and went on to register three wins, two by TKO, but lost his last fight, a knockout to Hardy Paredes in the latter fighter’s hometown, Chile, late last year. His has an impressive 9-2-0 record, of which he won 5 by knockouts to compile a 45% knockout ration.
Gonsalves has attracted a healthy fan base and really need no introduction to local pundits. Sporting a wiry frame, Gonsalves has deceived many of his opponents into believing that he was a slouch, that is, until the first bell rang.
At the moment, he is going through his paces at the Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF), Albouystown, under the guidance of Sebert Blake and Joseph Murray. As noted in earlier bouts, Gonsalves’ wiry frame belies the power of his punches and his many opponents have paid the price after underrating him. Unlike the many other boxers that have flaunted their stuff at press conferences with bold predictions and vicious threats, Gonsalves is not the chatty type but he came out of his shell during a press conference of his bout with Atwell to pronounce that Atwell will sleep in the 4th round.
The knockout came 5 rounds later but the mere brutality of his applications left his opponent in a crumpled heap and his supporters in awe. Naturally, he will be out to replicate this feat.
Kaieteur Sport will continue to monitor the progress of the boxers as they continue to whip themselves in shape.
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