National Intermediate Boxing Championships…Fistic fury resumes as GDF and Republican boxers share the spoils

Sep 11, 2016 Sports

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By Michael Benjamin

Wild swings, crunching punches and screaming fans characterized by beating drums brightened the atmosphere and set the tone for an entertaining night when the action got underway in the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) National Intermediate Boxing Championships at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, last Friday evening.
Fans came to the venue in high anticipation of the fistic battles between the boxers of the Republican Boxing Gym (REP) and the counterparts from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and when the smoke had cleared both entities had registered 3 victories apiece after intense and action packed encounters.

The Republicans drew first blood when their bantamweight representative, Anthony Patterson faced off with soldier, Jushaine Ferrier and the latter boxer commenced the bout at a furious pace. Punches rained on Patterson’s body and head as Ferrier seemed determined to end it there and then.
Patterson sought refuge behind highly held guards but could not totally evade several crunching shots thrown by the rampaging Ferrier. Midway into the round the GDF representative appeared winded and it was here that Patterson took over with several volleys that pushed his man on the back foot where Patterson asserted his dominance with several crunching punches that set the pace for the second round.
Fighting out of a southpaw stance Patterson met his man in the second round, head-on in center ring and the two pugilists became engaged in a delightful exchange that had the appreciative crowd on its feet. It was really difficult determining who would have taken that round as both boxers lashed out in a toe to toe battle that really set the fans on fire.
Patterson then surged ahead at the start of the final round with several telling punches but a determined Ferrier stood his ground and matched his blows. In a show of pure courage both boxers stood center ring in a vicious exchange of punches and stayed there right up to the final bell which sounded with Patterson who, despite the grueling nature of the fight, ended with flailing fists which acted in his favour as the judges decided that he had done enough to earn the decision.
Undaunted by the loss suffered by his colleague, Jason Trotman (GDF) made reparations in his lightweight bout against Republican, Donald Trapp. Anxious to surge ahead, both boxers were guilty of shabby approaches and that bout was characterized by clinches and ragged offences. In the end, it was Trotman who walked away with a unanimous verdict.
Delroy Nero (REP) then earned a lopsided unanimous verdict over Colin Hinds (GDF) and the latter boxer should thank the referee that he did not lose by TKO. The soldier had received several wallops that sent him reeling but the referee inexplicably refused to call a halt to the bout even after she had instituted two mandatory 8 counts.
Nero had his man on the back foot from the very first bell but to his credit Hinds fought back and stayed in contention. On resumption, the latter boxer was greeted with several crunching punches to his jaw which had him on wobbly legs but inexplicably, the referee refused to issue a count even as Hinds indicated that he had injured his right hand. Eventually, the referee summoned the doctor who examined the injury and ordered the resumption for Nero to press on with several crunching blows that drifted Hinds and attracted another mandatory 8 count.

With a painful grimace, Hinds held on to his injured hand yet the referee refused to call a halt to the contest or even summon the doctor. Obviously in pain, Hinds barely made it to the bell but failed to positively influence the judges who gave the bout to Nero.
Soldier, Mark Blake feared no better and it took Joshua Joseph just 1:52secs of the first round to establish the better boxer of their welterweight clash. Blake was all over his man from the first gong and forced the referee to institute a mandatory 8 after an especially wicked onslaught.
Shortly afterwards, Joseph retaliated and Blake received a hard clout to his temple and the doctor was called in to check a small wound to his face. Joseph attacked upon resumption and was well on his way to a knockout when Blake’s handlers decided to save his hide and threw in the towel at 1:52secs of the inaugural round.
The Guyana Defence Force stayed in contention when Lorex Cummings unleashed a brutal assault on Republican, Terrey Peters in a welterweight affair and it was all over in just 59secs of the first round.
As the night started on an unsuccessful note for the soldiers, it ended successfully after Darren McPherson won a unanimous verdict over Faisal Moore in a middleweight encounter. Earlier in the night, lightweight boxer, Jamal Eastman of the Rose Hall Jammers (RHJ), was all aggression as he pummeled Republican, Ryan Albert and forced him to quit on the stool at the end of the first round. Eastman is always a class act and sent out ominous signals from the first gong. His punches were precise and had his man tossing around until the bell rung.
Albert then decided that he was not interested in reentering the fray and quitted on his stool at the start of the second frame. The night started successfully for the Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) when its representative, Keevin Allicock, scored a unanimous points decision over Ajay Jageshar of the Young Achievers Boxing Gym. The action resumed with the semi-final last night while the finals will be staged tonight.

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