By Emmerson Campbell
“It’s nothing but first round (knockout). He stepped in on the wrong day, wrong time. I wasn’t going after him, I was going for Corbin. My mind set on Corbin or Sinnette. A 20-foot container can’t come to a solid 40-foot container so it’s a big difference – I will take him out early, he will get struck.”
Those were the verbal jabs thrown yesterday by national light heavyweight champion, Kwesi ‘Lightning Struck Assassin’ Jones towards his opponent Kelsey George.
Jones and George will match gloves Friday night in a six-round affair on the undercard of the 24th edition of the Guyana Fight Night Pro Am card at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
During an interview with Jones at the Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis gym, the ‘Assassin’ boasted about taking out George in the first frame but stated that his main intention is to take out former and current light heavyweight Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) champions Sean Corbin and Kirt ‘The Technician’ Sinnette respectively.
Jones who was scheduled to fight the Trinidad and Tobago-based Guyanese Corbin two months ago for the national title also signaled his intent to have a rematch with US-based Guyanese Lennox Allen before the end of 2012.
Said Jones: “I’m not really focusing on George but I’m not underestimating him, I don’t underestimate no fighter but I was training hard to fight Corbin since two months ago, so I’m in the pink of condition so George is not a threat.”
He continued: “Let (Peter) Abdool (president of CABOFE)put these guys Corbin and Sinnette in front of me and tell (Lennox)Allen let us go down at 168 and do this rematch cause I know he aint lasting 12, Allen is my heart desire, I want Allen,” Jones stated.
Card headliner Dominica-based Guyanese Clive ‘Wonder Boy’ Atwell who will match gloves with Rudolph Fraser for the local featherweight title, was brimming with confidence when Stabroek Sport spoke with him after his sparring session.
“It’s a win all the way; the old Atwell is back with more stamina because it’s a longer journey, skill and speed to just annihilate Rudy on Friday night.” When asked if going 12 rounds for the first time will be a problem, the 23-year-old undefeated Atwell stated that he is a warrior and does not see it as a challenge.
“I’m a warrior and I don’t back down from a challenge no matter how steep it may look we prepare ourselves because failing to prepare is preparing to fail so the 12 rounds at the back of my mind it’s boxing that’s what I do, that’s what I like Friday night it’s my night.”
Will George be struck by lightning and will Atwell remain unbeaten? The answer will be known on Friday night.
The undercard will feature Edmond ‘Wonder Boy’ DeClou, the CABOFE and local middleweight champion coming up against Trinidad and Tobago-based Joel McRae for the national title.
The DeClou/McRae fight will be a trilogy. The ‘Wonder Boy’ won the previous bouts by decisions, the last for the local interim super middleweight title last July.
The ‘Wonder Boy’ will be looking to win impressively before he enters the lucrative World Boxing Council’s 50th anniversary World Cup which boxes off in August.
The card will also feature debutant Gladwin Dorway against David Thomas in a four-round junior welterweight matchup.
Joel Williamson and Matthew Hollingsworth will match gloves in the headline bout of the amateur segment of the card in a 105 to 109 pound fight. On the undercard, Shaka Moore will take on Ryan Sumner of Rose Hall Jammers in a 95 to 99-pound bout. In an 85 to 89-pound encounter Tefon Green will come up against Albert Thomas.
The undercard will also feature Ryan Persaud matching gloves with Elijah Insanally (75 to 79 pounds). All bouts are scheduled for three rounds.
The monthly card is an initiative of the GBBC in collaboration with the Sports Ministry and the National Communications Network (NCN). Sponsors of the event include Digicel, Giftland Office Max, Courts, Banks DIH Limited and ANSA McAL.
