Mike Parris…. the unsung Hero Guyana’s lone Olympic Medalist in 40 years

Jun 21, 2020 Sports

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By Sean Devers

This is the story of 72-year-old Micheal Anthony Parris who is the only Boxer from the English-speaking Caribbean to win an Olympic Medal and is still the only Guyanese to do so.

Parris looks back on his life growing up in ‘Lodge’, his remarkable achievement at the 1980 Olympics, how the political boycott of 65 Nations from the Moscow Olympics inspired team Guyana, his successful Boxing Career, the present state of local Boxing and his life after boxing, which included this National Sporting Ambassador being ignored by all elected Governments after the death of President Forbes Burnham.
He fought 48 Amateur fights between 1972 and 1982 and 29 fights in a Professional career in which he had 17 wins with four Knock-outs, 10 defeats and two draws from 1982 to November 1995.
Two years after his Olympics successes Parris turned Pro when he defeated Reynold McBean on his debut on November 28, 1982.
On November 25, 1983, the 26-year-old beat Anthony Andrews to become the new Guyana Bantamweight Champion.
Parris’ last three fights were in the UK. After being beaten by Englishman Richie Wenton in a bout for the vacant World Boxing Organisation Inter-Continental Super Bantam Title at Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, Parris defeated Paul Lloyd of England by RTD at Northgate Arena, Chester on November 24, 1995 before retiring from the sport.
Parris, a former four-time National Bantamweight Champion, challenged for the Commonwealth (British Empire) Bantam Title in 1989, the vacant World Boxing Council FECARBOX Feather Title in 1993 and the vacant Commonwealth (British Empire) Super Bantam Title in 1995.
In 1980, Parris received the prestigious ‘Sportsman of the Year’ Award for his historic Bronze Medal in Moscow.
Parris received a Medal of Service (MS) for his contribution to the sport of boxing from the PPP/C Administration in 2011.
In December 2015 the Andrew ‘six heads’ Lewis Hall of Fame was opened with Parris being among those recognised with their names and photos being hung on the wall.

In 2018 the GBA named its U-16 Boxing Tournament ‘the Pepsi Mike Parris’.
In 2019, Parris travelled to Moscow, Russia to attend the World Olympians Forum (WOF). He received spending money from the GOA and a 50th Anniversary T-shirt from the Government.
Simple, humble, resilient and extremely affable are words that quickly come to mind when describing Guyana’sunsung hero who put his country on Map in Boxing three decades ago in the cold conditions of the former Soviet Union.
Born on October 4, 1957 to Ralph Parris and Doreen Parris, Mike grew up in Princess Street Lodge.
He has lots of siblings but 12 of them (six boys and six girls) were born to his mom and dad.
“As a child growing up I always loved sports but I enjoyed playing a good game of cricket,” said Parris who attended the Lodge Government School and the Fountain AME.
“Life growing up was a bit challenging with lots of ups and downs. My family was not rich so we had to make do with the little we had but we were thankful for life,” informed Parris, small in stature but big in heart.
“I came from a long history of Boxing. My Uncles used to Box and my father used to Box. It was a family tradition passed down to me and a few of my brothers. We would usually have what we would called ‘bottom House’ Boxing every weekend. We would see old stagers like Maxie Sergeant and Mark Harris go at each other in the Streets on Sundays.
My brothers and I along with friends would practice Boxing……and one day our skills caught the eyes of an elderly man from the Village and he said ‘why don’t join Save the Children Gym which was located at the Freeburg Primary School in Norton Street. So a little after that my brothers and I took his advice and joined the Gym and from there I started off as an Amateur Boxer,” said Parris.

Parris entered the Junior Championships which he later won before going onto the Senior Championships where he was victorious in the ‘Open Championships.
In 1972 Parris won the Junior Amateur Championship as a 15-year-old in the featherweight division.
“I continued to pursue various Boxing Competitions, winning some and losing some but I was never deterred from being the best that I could be. I was selected to represent Guyana in an exchange programme to America; along the way I was able to tour a few countries to represent Guyana.
In 1978 at age 21, Parris journeyed to Edmonton Canada to take part in the Commonwealth Games where he lost in the semi-finals.
“I counted my losses but was never discouraged and returned home and continued Boxing. I was selected to represent Guyana in the CAC Games in the Dominican Republic where I won a Bronze Medal,” Parris informed.
Since there were no Bantamweight fighters when he returned from the CAC Games he moved up to the Featherweight division.
He fought boxers such as Wayne Smith, Keith Adams, Walter Smith and others as his journey continued in the Featherweight division.

“Darius Forde and Cleveland Denny were the most exciting boxers I have ever fought as an amateur, while Juan Baptista and Kelvin Smarts were the best I have fought as a Pro,” revealed Parris.
“I started to encounter problems maintaining my weight so I stepped down back to Bantamweight and fought boxers such as Darius Forde, Paul Wiltshire, Evan Parris and a few others and continued my winning streak.
I was chosen to represent Guyana at the Olympics and that was my most memorable moment of my life. Being the first Guyanese to win an Olympic Medal was the icing on the cake,” a proud Parris continued.
The crafty pugilist explained why he turned Pro.
“I was training for the 1984 Olympics but was told I was too old. They eventually selected a younger Boxer who lost at the Olympics so that is the reason I turned Pro,” he explained.
Parris, who had many ups and downs and disappointments in his life, does not feel he was properly rewarded for bringing glory to Guyana.
“No I don’t think so. I always wanted to work with the youths of Guyana as a boxing Coach but I was never given the opportunity by any elected Government,” said the Taxi driver.
The Forbes Burnham Government honoured his historic achievement with a house in Shirley Field-Ridley Square, where he still resides.

When he worked at the Guyana Marketing Corporation, he was given time-off to train. But when President Burnham died in 1985 it seemed that Government’s interest in sports development died with him since all the Governments since then appear oblivious of the importance of sports and how it can benefit this Nation.
“A few years ago I went to a senior Government official in the Sports Ministry and asked for a duty-free concession to buy a car. I did not get the duty-free concession and at times I feel what I did for my country has been forgotten even by some in the sports fraternity,” lamented Parris who usually fought South Paw in a defensive and orthodox fashion.
In 1980, the United States led a boycott of the Summer Olympic Games in Moscow to protest the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In total, 65 nations refused to participate in the games, but 80 countries sent athletes to compete including Guyana who sent an eight-member team which included four Boxers, two cyclists, an Athlete and a Weightlifter.
Parris said he was not worried that the Government would prevent Guyana from competing at the Olympics.
Parris recounted that leading up to the Olympics there was a lot of work, determination, hard training and sacrifice, we were encamped for a few weeks in the GDF compound under the watchful eyes of the late Courtney Atherly, Ashton Angel and a few other Coaches.
“The climatic conditions in Moscow were different to what we were accustomed to but because of my ambition and determination to win at the Olympics I did not allow that to affect me.
I came up with a strategy to stay indoors and exercise in an AC room so that my body could get accustomed to the cold so I could have adjusted to the conditions there. I did not go to the march-past, I just stayed in my room and trained.”
We were not interested in why the other Countries had pulled out but used that to our advantage to get there and win medals. The plan was to win as much medals as we could,” the Olympian explained.
The atmosphere at such a humongous World Event must have been intimidating for the 23-year-old Guyanese.
“There were so many people, but you would not see anyone from Guyana. Security was tight. Everywhere you went there were soldiers.
On the road to his Bronze Medal Parris got past Nigerian Nureni Gbadamosi, a boxer from the US Virgin Islands and Mexican Daniel Zaragoza. In the Semi-finals he was beaten by Cuban Juan Hernandez in very competitive bout.
“The feeling of standing on the podium was unexplainable. It was a great achievement……my emotions were all over the place. I felt very proud to the first Olympic Medalist from my Country Guyana.
Just standing there and seeing the Guyana flag in the air. I think I got cold sweat from joy, and seeing so many people…I don’t think I could get that feeling again.
The Olympics changed my life in so many ways. I was able to return to my County as a proud Champion. I was more recognised, respected and acknowledged for my hard work,” explained Parris.
During Parris’ era and a bit after that, capacity crowds at the Sports Hall was the norm but now few spectators come to watch Boxing and the veteran Parris gives his reason for this.
“I believe that big crowds supported boxing back then because the fights were attractive and entertaining. We need more promotion, more competition and more overseas exchange programmes,” the father of eight opined.
“I believe the level of Boxing is reasonable high. There are a few promising boxers with good talent and I believe that if they get more exposure they can win Olympic Medals” continued Parris.
“The difference between my time and this generation is that I believe the youths are more exposed and have more facilities available which they are not using to their advantage. In my time there was not as much availability to many things. Competition back then was tough,” said Parris who also participated in road races.
He thanked his late Father Coach Rapheal Parris, Cedric Williams, Joey Spencer, brother Winston Parris and his wife (Ursula) and children for all their support over the years.
He said all of his children like boxing as a Sport (his daughter is the Ring Doctor at GBA cards) but added that none of them has taken it up as a competition.
“Hopefully my grandchildren will find it interesting and follow in my footsteps,” he added with a chuckle.
Parris says he would love to see professional boxing up and going during his life time, adding that he hardly ever misses a boxing card because of his love for the sport has kept him intrigued over the years.
“COVID-19 and the stay at home guideline has affected me a lot since I am unable to work as a Taxi driver…. the curfew is not a problem since I am off the streets by six anyhow,” said Parris.
His advice for the young Amateur pugilists is to stay focused and stressed on the four ‘Ds’.
“You must be dedicated, determined, disciplined and devoted and love the game. There are a lot of sacrifices you will have to make, but trust me it will all pay off in the long run,” promised Parris who still hopes that he will be recognised by the Government for his remarkable achievement in Moscow four decades ago.
If not, it would be a terrible shame and add fuel to the claims that since President Burnham died none of the other Governments are interested in the welfare of outstanding former Guyanese Sports persons or the development of Sports in Guyana.

 

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