GBA’s Nat Novices Boxing C/ships… GDF well placed to retain title; talented Khan gives Williams walk-over

Jun 30, 2017 Sports, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....-williams-walk-over/

By Sean Devers
Creditable performances by the GDF pugilists on the penultimate night of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) National Novices three-night Championships kept them well positioned to retain the team title at the National Gymnasium while a huge disappointment on Wednesday night was the walk-over conceded by Ishaun Khan to Trevor Williams.
On another night that started late and had fewer fans in the stands than on the opening night, the anticipated match-up between talented 18-year-old Khan from Harpy Eagles and Republican Williams had set tongues wagging.
Khan, the younger brother National Lightweight Champion Imran ‘Magic’ Khan had caught the eyes of boxing pundits with his last round knock-out of solider Jason Mickle on the opening night but failed to attend the mandatory daily weight-in at 07:00hrs at the Gymnasium thus giving the walk-over.
President of the GBA Steve Neville said that while Khan was one of the outstanding talents that has emerged out of these tournaments, rules are rules and every boxer must be disciplined enough to respect them.
With the now expected usual fanfare between the drum beating and trumpet blowing GDF and the Republican supporters, the only youth contest of the night opened the proceedings with a win on points by VBG’s Christopher Moore over Republican, Ryan Albert.
GDF began their march to a possible repeat title when Delroy Murphy, with an array of aggressive shots, pummeled Republican’s Orin Rodrigues who was subjected to a couple of ‘standing 8 counts’ before the fight was stopped at 2:22 seconds of the second round.
Kelvin Moore of VBG completely dominated Clinton Clarke from the Army, who was bullied from start to finish. Moore began with several quick combinations which had his man stepping backwards for most of the first stanza.
Clarke attempted some long range shots but was out of range to make any telling impact and was given two standing 8 counts in the second and third round but survived to lose on points.
Another Soldier, Delon Garraway and Republican’s Quami Cumerbatch traded punches as they went toe-to-toe in the 64kg category, the most action-packed fight of the night. A left jab by Cumerbatch and a right to the head resulted in the referee administering a standing 8 count on Garraway in the first round.
Garraway was again hurt and suffered another standing 8 count in the same round and seemed relieved to hear the bell. But the solider came out with all guns blazing in the next round backed up by the GDF Drum Corp and supporters who were on their feet.
A brutal right cross to the head and a couple of hard body blows had Cumerbatch enduring standing 8 counts twice in the second round before referee Maynard Wilson stopped the fight at
2:30 of the round.
In an all GDF affair between Darnell Jessamy and Kevin McKenzie, the towel was thrown in by McKenzie’s corner after they felt their charge had taken enough blows. The battle between GDF’s Toney Gills and Republican Travis Stewart in the 69kg began in entertaining fashion with several punishing punches being thrown by both boxers in an epic display of fistic fury.
Stewart was the initial aggressor with nice clean jabs and plenty of shots to body before Gills retaliated with shots of his own towards the closing stages of the opening round and the fight promised much but flattered to deceive and fizzled out as a damp squib in the next two rounds.
With both parties showing fatigue from their hectic pace in the first round they opted to employ the holding tactics and had the referee working for his money as he frequently had to break clinches as the pair waltzed around the ring. To be fair, it was Stewart who initiated most of the holding and in the end Gills got the decision.
In other results: GDF’s Okimey Barker got a walk-over from Republican Nikel Ames while GDF’s Joel Peters beat his stable-mate Joseph McKenzie, Republican’s Germaine William defeated GDF’s Damieon Johnson, Aubrey Headley got the better of Brian Tappin in an all GDF contest, Republican’s Oswald Yaw threw in the towel against GDF’s Emerson Farley and GDF’s Anthonio Williams beat CBG’s Ejad Allie.