Former world-rated super bantamweight boxer, Leon ‘Hurry Up’ Moore and national featherweight champion, Clive ‘Wonder Kid’ Atwell staged a public workout yesterday at the Kitty bus park to promote next Saturday’s six-fight boxing card dubbed ‘Foreign Invasion’.
The card, which will be staged at the Thirst Park Ground, will be headlined by the undefeated welterweight Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) champion, Simeon ‘Candy Man’ Hardy in a highly-anticipated, eight-round junior middleweight re-match with former European middleweight champion Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman.
Reigning local and CABOFE middleweight champion, Edmond ‘Wonder Boy’ DeClou will take on Jermaine King in a six-round middleweight bout.
The card will also feature Atwell, heavyweight Anthony Augustin, featherweight Charlton Skeete and Moore who is promoting the card through Hurry Up Promotions.
The undefeated Atwell will match gloves with 39-year-old journeyman Orlon ‘Pocket Rocket’ Rogers in a six-round rematch while Augustin will take on Leon ‘The Lion’ Gilkes also in a six-round rematch.
Skeete is scheduled to face American Allan Phelan in a four-round encounter while Moore, the former number-three, world-rated featherweight, will challenge undefeated American Juan Carlos Pena in a six-round bout.
During an interview with Stabroek Sport yesterday, Moore stated that the public workout was staged to create a buzz of next Friday’s card.
“This is a way of marketing the young boxers, this will give the public a glimpse of what they will be seeing on October 13,” said Moore.
“I think we don’t have these things in boxing in Guyana and I think the fighters need exposure, the public needs to see how these fighters train, how they prepare for a fight, the chances they take on so on”.
Moore added: “Next week is a massive card, Guyana needs to support this card because ‘Foreign Invasion’ will be full of fireworks, we have a packed card with the likes of and we need the support of the boxing fans, it’s a can’t miss event.”
Eastman, who lost to Hardy on June 1, has a record of 46 wins and 10 losses and recently stated that he was “optimistic” about the rematch adding that it will be his turn to put things right on October 13.
King, who has a record of one win, one draw and five losses declared that DeClou (12 wins and two losses) ran from him as an amateur but highlighted that the ‘Wonder Boy’ will have no place to run on fight night.
DeClou, who declared that he was currently the best fighter in Guyana, bemoaned the fact that he has to fight opponents such as King as no one else was willing to step in the ring with him.
Pena is undefeated in 18 fights winning 13 by knockouts while ‘Hurry Up’ has an outstanding record of 28 wins (22KO’S) and two losses. This fight should be a must see.
Phelan is winless in his two fights and will be looking to create an upset against Skeete (one win, four losses) on his home turf.
Atwell, who has knocked out two of his last opponents in Rudolph Fraser and national lightweight champion Revlon Lake, will look to keep his record unblemished against Rogers.
Gilkes will have a chance to exact revenge on Augustin who defeated him unanimously two years ago.
Will DeClou run from King? Will the ‘Candy Man’ suffer his first bitter defeat? Those questions will be answered on October 13 at Thirst Park.
Sponsors for the card include Banks DIH Limited, Liat and Delta Airlines and others.
Bell time is 20:00hrs while admission for inner ring side will cost $3000. Regular seating will cost $1500.
