By Emmerson Campbell
The cliché “good things come to those who wait” must have been the mantra for Kwesi ‘Lightning Struck Assassin’ Jones because the local light heavyweight champion’s patience has paid off.
The ‘Assassin’ will finally have his long-awaited shot at the CABOFE light heavyweight champion, Trinidad and Tobago’s Kirt ‘The Technician’ Sinette for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) International light heavyweight title on August 30 in the twin-island republic.
The title fight will be the headliner of the card dubbed the 50th Independence Anniversary ‘Boxing Bonanza’ which will be held at the Woodbrook Youth Centre. “I was on my knees filled with joy and thanking God for this news, water came to my eyes, this is what I have been waiting for a long time,” Jones said during an interview with Stabroek Sport yesterday.
“We already cleaned up everybody in the Caribbean and we are not getting fights, so when I got the phone call this morning I didn’t even know what to say – I had too much joy, this is what we were waiting for a long time,” Jones reiterated. The ‘Assassin’ boasted that former CABOFE champion Trinidad and Tobago-based Guyanese Sean Corbin and Sinnette has been eluding him for quite some time and will only be assured of the matchup when Sinnette inks his contract.
Said Jones:
“These two men (Sinette and Corbin) were running from me since December and I finally got one of them. We trained for him (Sinnette) since last year December, we were to fight him over in Trinidad and suddenly they called off the fight, so we got him now let us see if he is going to run this time.”
Sinnette, 38, has a record of 21 wins (17 KOs) and one loss to Jermain Mackey in 2007 which took place in the Bahamas. ‘The Technician’ avenged that loss two years later in Trinidad by stopping Mackey in the 11th round.
When asked what are his thoughts on fighting ‘The Technician’ who has never lost in the 21 fights in his hometown, Jones replied that Sinnette is ‘home made bread’ that will be ‘eaten’ in his hometown.
“He is home made bread but I am going right in his home town and show him home made bread could get eat right in his home town. I will punish him for avoiding me all this time, this fight will not go the full distance.
I will take him deep into seven or eight rounds and then knock him out. I’m not allowing this to go to the score card because nowadays a lot of fighters benefitting from home town decisions.”
Jones record of 10 wins (six KOs) and two losses pales in comparison to Sineete’s but the ‘Lightning Struck Assassin’ is adamant that Sinnete is past his prime and will be struck by his lightning fists on August 30.
“Sinnette is way past his prime. I will show him what a youngster like me is going to do – I’m younger, stronger and much more powerful.
I am going to Trinidad to spoil his Independence Celebrations. All boxers dream of wearing the WBC green belt and the WBC International green belt is second to that of a world title belt so I cannot wait to put my hands on him.”
Jones who is tutored by legendary coaches Lennox Daniels and George ‘Canchie’ Oprecht said he never stops training and will be in the pink of condition for next month’s ring date.
“I’m in gym all the time. I don’t ever stop training, I’m always in the gym, if they call me tomorrow to fight I’m fighting. I train hard all the time so this fight is going to be easy, right now I’m about 80% fit and with six weeks to go I will be 110% ready,” Jones assured.
