Torchbearer Dharry continues to shine

Jun 01, 2023 Sports

Kaieteur Sports – Elton ‘Coolie Bully’ Dharry quietly honours a rich history of Indo-Guyanese fighters; an actuality that is often overlooked and more starkly, disregarded.

Elton Dharry (Twitter.com)

Traditionally, especially in boxing, Indo-Guyanese fighters have been unfortunately over looked.

His continued existence in the squared circle, the actuality of which could produce, as a by-product or occupational hazard of this dangerous exercise and endeavour, grim consequences, builds on a tradition that is concretized and valued by the aficionados but underappreciated by the uninformed masses.

Though no ethnic contemporaries of an equivalent degree of importance presently exist, the Enterprise native is the current torch bearer of a convention that started with prominent personages such as Motee ‘Kid’ Singh, Ramesh Bess, Lalta Narine, and Robin ‘De Albion Prince’ Lall, a quartet who are of sequential importance in the Indo-Guyanese Boxing history and fraternity.

Reputable fighters in their own right and period, their presence within the ‘sweet science’ went beyond the results of their individualistic talents and records. After all, they are local sporting icons, and examples to emulate, whose influences shouldn’t be assigned to a minimalist strata. Dharry, 37, is the flag bearer of such an under-venerated institution and immutable legacy!

Possessing a record of 26-6-1, the orthodox prize-fighter is arguably the most important of the lot, though that discourse, and eventual debate, is fundamentally underpinned by a subjective rationale, especially for those of the contemporary inducement.

However, what is indisputable is that he is the most talented owing to his world-rated status, and remains the only boxer of an Indo-Guyanese persuasion, to challenge for a world championship strap.

Dharry, who fought for the WBA Super flyweight title in 2019 but suffered a controversial ninth-round stoppage defeat to Australian Andrew Maloney in Melbourne, descended on local shores yesterday, May 31st, to continue his storied journey in pursuit of that elusive accolade.

An extraordinary feat that if accomplished will further solidify his status in the annals of time, and place him amongst revered company such as the late Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis, Wayne ‘Big Truck’ Brathwaite, Vivian Harris, Gwendolyn ‘Stealth Bomber’ O’Neil, and Gary St. Clair.

Boxing, unlike other sporting escapades, significantly goes beyond the label of a Guyanese pass time. It is innately rooted in our cultural DNA. No other discipline, individual or otherwise, has provided a comparable semblance of international repute for our nation.

The aforementioned world champions, all of whom were crowned in the previous quarter of a century, serve as empirical evidence. The only Olympic medal, a reality of the 1980 showpiece, further adds to its evidentiary truth.

Dharry, as a student and ambassador of the game understands that simple but very significant premise. That immortality, which is only afforded to a few, is what consumes him to be the first of his ethnic makeup to accomplish such a remarkable feat, which was unconsummated by his iconic pugilistic forefathers.

That is his sole mandate. Dharry is the most successful Indo-Guyanese boxer in the history of our emerging republic and his return to the squared circle is confirmed for June 3rd against Colombian Ronald Ramos in an eight-round Bantamweight fixture on the impending ‘Return of the Scorpio’ Pro/Am Card.

The encounter, which will provide an exhibition of Dharry’s talismanic abilities that have led to 15 victories via the knockout route, serves primarily as a warm-up for his July encounter on local shores with Hugo Hernandez of Mexico for the WBC Silver Belt.

His representation as the premier Guyanese professional boxer, as well as one of two celebrated international combat sports practitioners [MMA’s Carlston Harris], serves as a paragon and role model for all boxing aspirants and emerging talents especially those from the Indo-Guyanese community and diaspora.

Dharry has helped to shatter the perception that boxing as a discipline is entitled to a specific creed, a reality, and an initial objective which was commissioned by the preceding quartet of Motee ‘Kid’ Singh, Ramesh Bess, Lalta Narine, and Robin ‘De Albion Prince’ Lall.

In the same spirit, he has emerged as a bridge and unifying force within the sport’s community despite the incongruous local undertones associated with social, political, class, and gender norms.

Multiplicity in sports is essential as it promotes creativity, unique perspectives, novel opportunities, and ultimately ideal sportsmanship. Sports, and all its glorified and relevant history, must be representative of the respective society for bonds and social discourse, and cohesion to foster.

Dharry is a natural creation of that concept; and a repercussion and result of an esteemed but undervalued footprint. For ages, the perception is that boxing was not associated with Indo-Guyanese, but that unapprised and possibly intentional notion is not rooted in verity and gospel. Dharry is the torch-bearer of an exemplary and unappreciated assembly that has contributed vastly to the rich history of the nation’s boxing culture. Long may it continue and ultimately be acknowledged!