Panama’s Orlando Penalba will take on Guyana’s Elton Dharry for the WBC Super Flyweight International title, while Dexter ‘The Kid’ Marques makes a claim for the WBC Flyweight International Silver against Gilberto Pedroza, also of Panama.
The Panamanian boxers arrived in Guyana earlier this week, and paid a visit to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., on Tuesday afternoon.
The Minister not only expressed his support for Saturday’s event, but words were once again traded by the Panamanians and their Guyanese opponents.
Elton Dharry and Orlando Penalba size up each other
Assessing the fight card, Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr., during a courtesy call on Tuesday afternoon, marveled at the fact that Guyana is right up there with some of the best talents in the world. As such, he is calling for support.
“It gives us a good opportunity to see the folks who are at the top of their games contest and compete; and knowing that Guyana is at that level too, it shows that we’ve got a lot of talent, and we want to give Guyana the opportunity to keep advancing that talent,” the Sport Minister commented.
Ramson Jr. went on to urge, “We also want Guyanese people to understand that this is really how we can grow all of the sports that we’re in; it comes with support, public support, always. It’s not only about Government support or Association support, or business support, it’s about just general support.”
Road to Redemption, set for a 6pm start on April 23, is said to be a play at resuscitating the professional boxing craze in the Caribbean. This was divulged by GBBC President Peter Abdool, who spoke of the WBC’s persistence in making the titles available.
Abdool shared, “The WBC actually has been with us since Day 1. As you know, I’m on the Board of Governors of the WBC, and it is very important to try to resuscitate Caribbean boxing, and they’ve been behind us and helped us in every possible way to try to get back to where we need to be.
Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr and DoS Steve Ninvalle displaying the title belts, surrounded by pugilists Elton Dharry, Dexter Marques, Orlando Penalba, Gilberto Pedroza and GBBC President Peter Abdool
It has not been an easy fight to get, because, in the first instance, the International title; there was actually a standing champion that was not defending his title. We were able to impress upon the WBC that the time arrived where it was necessary to do something about it. They actually stripped this gentleman in order to facilitate this fight,” the GBBC President said.
Speaking on the importance of the Road to Redemption and what is at stake for the challengers, Abdool divulged the progression for the pugilists who will raise the belts.
“The international belt will keep you in touching distance of the World title. So, of the four gentlemen sitting in this room, it’s going to create a tremendous opportunity for two of them,” Abdool said.
Aside from Dharry and Marques, other Guyanese such as Laured Stewart, James Moore, Imran ‘Magic’ Khan and James Walcott will be on show on Saturday.
