Guyanese dominate at 2023 Patrick Forde Memorial championship

Feb 21, 2023 Sports

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– Boodram and Shepherd the only foreign athletes to pick up wins

Kaieteur News – The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) along with McDonald Promotion hosted the Patrick Forde International Boxing championship Sunday at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue.

The National Gymnasium seats where filled with a large crowd on Sunday evening; chanting for their fighters.

Early up in the evening, Shacquon Marshall, Mark Crawford and Jamal Eastman won gold medals after winning their contest. Crawford from the Forgotten Youth Foundation boxing gym (FYF) would have defeated Clifton Graham out of the Police Boxing gym after three full rounds of boxing. Jamal Eastman likewise defeated Patrick Harvey by way of unanimous decision to close off the local segment.

As we bounce straight into the first international bout of the evening between Brian Harris and Jaden Castillano out of Trinidad and Tobago. Brian Harris launched a couple of heavy combination-punches onto the Trinidadian early on in the contest before striking with a solid body-shot; hitting Castillano into the ropes, as Castillano failed to recover from that shot. The referee was forced to stop the fight; two minutes and Fifty-eight seconds into the second round. Harris had an easy win over the weary Trinidadian.

Soon after that, the first female international bout between Trinidad’s Leeann Boodram and Nikaela Khodra out of St Lucia took center stage as the towering Boodram defeated Khodra. Boodram was able to land more punches than Khodra in that contest. Boodram eventually went on to win the fight by way of a split decision.

Next, Joel Williamson went up against Jeremiah Toussaint out of Barbados, in my opinion this fight was an equal match-up, both fighters showed good technique, they both had solid jabs and counter punches. However, Williamson was adjudged winner of the contest after three rounds of classic boxing. Williamson won the contest by way of unanimous.

At this time, the crammed Gymnasium crowd rose to their feet to welcome Alesha Jackman and Shawnelle Hamid to the ring as Alisha with the home crowd support had an early night. Hamid the shorter of the two was no match for hard hitting Alesha Jackman. Hamid later abandoned the match with only fifty-three seconds into the first round to hand Alesha a brilliant first round victory. Julius Kesney was later defeated by JuSean Shepherd out of Barbados. He (Shepherd) was forced to reckon with a number of rapid combination-punches from the hands of Kesney of the GDF boxing gym. Shepherd was made to work very hard. He (Shepherd) eventually went on to win the fight by way of split decision at the end of the three rounds.

As promised Abiola Jackman defeated Kemara Stewart out of Barbados. Abiola with her sister (Alisha) standing ring-side Yelling, “raise your head and beat this girl, abbi.” Abiola did just that defeating Stewart two minutes and fifty seconds into the second round due to a stoppage.

In rematch settings, Anthony Joseph out of Trinidad and Tobago went up against Olympian Keevin Allicock. Both fighters provided three rounds of massive entertainment for the large crowd.

At the sound of the bell, they both went at each other; both landing multiple punches at the other. Allicock however managed to punch Joseph against the ropes a few times in the second round. Allicock caught him (Joseph) with multiple head and body shots. Luckily the strong Trinidadian managed to take it to the judge’s scorecard. In the process Allicock punished the courageous Trinidadian boxer; Joseph had three eight-stand-counts before he was struck to his knees by a solid right-hook from Allicock. Unfortunately, the sizzling south-pawed Trinidadian fighter couldn’t get pass the flamboyant Allicock; who would have landed more punches in all three rounds of the contest, as Allicock picked up his second win against Joseph.

Dynamite Amsterdam closed off the evening at the National Gymnasium around 11:15pm on Sunday in a dominant manner. The National Sportsman of the year reigned supreme at the third Patrick Forde Memorial International Boxing championship; as the large Gymnasium crowd witnessed the Desmond ‘Dynamite’ Amsterdam demolition of Nickell Joseph also out of Trinidad and Tobago. Amsterdam knocking the tall Trinidadian boxer four times to the canvas before the referee ended the contest two minutes and fifty-eight seconds in the second round.

The Army Sergeant: Amsterdam picked up another excellent victory at 2023 Patrick Forde International tournament as the curtains closed on the GBA’s first international card of the 2023 boxing season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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