– as boxers sign contracts for S&S Promotions Heat Wave boxing extravaganza
National middleweight champion Howard `The Battersea Bomber’ Eastman says he is looking forward to a rematch with William Joppy on home turf.
Eastman lost a controversial majority decision to Joppy in 2001 for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) middleweight title despite knocking Joppy down in the final seconds of their 12 round bout on a Lennox Lewis undercard in Las Vegas.
Now S&S Promotions in conjunction with the Guyana Boxing Board of Control is paving the way for Eastman to have his much anticipated rematch with Joppy this time on home turf.
But there are two obstacles standing in Eastman’s path.
Eastman is scheduled to face Clyde Williams on February 28 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) with the winner to meet Lennox Allen on April 25 also at the CASH.
The winner of the April 25 bout will face Joppy.
In an invited comment with Stabroek Sports, Eastman who will be going up against Williams over eight rounds stated that he was prepared and ready for this encounter, which he views as a career move towards him getting back to the top.
“First of all it is like certain things that I asked Selassie I for are now falling into place.
“When he puts it together this way I know for sure that he is real,” he added.
Eastman will fight Williams in a catch weight contest.
“I am a fighter and that’s what I do best for a living. Put aside the hype and all that, I am looking forward to this fight.
“Even though I did not had much time to think about it, I signed the contract today (yesterday) and I am excited about it, as I believe it can be a career move for me,” said Eastman who is scheduled to fight Lennox Allen next with the winner taking on William Joppy.
The 38 year-old Eastman who is also known as the “Battersea Bomber,” last fought former World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight champion Andrew ‘Six head’ Lewis, in his first defence of his national middleweight title, and came away with a unanimous decision at the Guyana National Stadium.
“I do not take any fighter lightly, but I still have to be careful. I know that people will be saying that I have taken this fight on a short notice, but that will not affect me. As a fighter, even though you may be inactive in the ring, you always have to be on the alert as you may get a call for a fight at a short notice” said Eastman.
“Even though I have not fought since defeating Lewis, I am still confident about coming out on top in this encounter. As I said, it is a career move for me and I am looking forward to meeting William Joppy again.”
“I always wanted to fight Joppy again and the prospect of doing same in Guyana would be hype for me. To meet and this time defeat Joppy in front of my home crowd, would be an added boost for me and my career,” said Eastman.
When asked if he would give a rematch to either Lewis or Denny Dalton, having defeated the latter to win the national middleweight title and successfully defending it against the former, Eastman said yes.
“A boxer or his throng of supporters would want to question a decision from a first fight, so with that in mind, I have no hesitation in giving him a rematch, as the result would not differ. I would fight any fighter I have defeated over and over again, as I know the result would be the same for me.
“I love fighting. It gives me my livelihood, not only for me, but my two daughters. I also get to meet a lot of people and go to various places.”
All the boxers with the exception of Lennox Allen who is based in the United States of America and Michael De Mattos and Eversley Browne, who were unavoidably absent, signed their contracts yesterday at the Main Street Plaza Hotel.
Eastman, though, signed his contract yesterday afternoon in New Amsterdam, Berbice.
Yesterday morning, Cecil `Koker Dawg’ Alfred, Clifford `Piggy’ Griffith, Leon `The Lion’ Gilkes, Jermaine King, Cecil Smith, Clyde Williams, Sharon Warde and Veronica Blackman all inked their names at the Main Street Plaza Hotel.
Smith and King will meet in a four-round lightweight bout, De Mattos and Browne will duel for six rounds in a middleweight encounter, Alfred and Griffith will match gloves over four rounds in a catch weight contest while Warde and Blackman will meet in a female catch weight contest over six rounds and the main bout, Allen and Gilkes will meet over 12 rounds in a middleweight encounter.
