Will 2018 see the revival of professional boxing in Guyana?
Asks Michelangelo Jacobus
Following the outstanding crowd turnout at last Saturday’s “Sangre Malo” International fight card, plans are in the pipeline for another card to be held in February.
The “Bad Blood” card came about courtesy of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control and promoter Nexgen Global Marketing ; however, also integral to the successful hosting of the fight card was Ray Campbell Jr who has ties in the USA with the Havoc Boxing group, according to sources it was through him that the GBBC/NexGen Global collaboration was able to land Venezuelan boxers.
For the last couple of years professional boxing in Guyana has been “yo-yo” like; a card here a card there. However with the success seen at the Bad Blood card the GBBC will follow through on its promise of hosting a card a month.
Dexter “De Kid” Marques will take on UK’s Jay Harris for possibly Guyana’s next world title in May
The quality of boxing on offer last Saturday exceeded the crowd’s expectations and left fans wanting for more. The fact that some Guyanese boxers haven’t fought in two years and the likes shows the want of such cards on a regular basis.
Boxers such as Kwesi “Lightning Struck” Jones; Guyana’s national heavyweight champion hasn’t fought in a professional bout since 2013. That alone speaks volumes of the lack of ring action in Guyana over the years.
Our local lads Dexter “De Kid” Marques and Dexter “Cobra” Marques are no doubt talented; Marques has a title shot in May when he takes on the United Kingdom’s Jay Harris for the Bantamweight Commonwealth title at the Copperbox Arena in Wales.
At the very least Marques needs another fight in between now and May to shake off any additional ring rust that he may have; the GBBC’s proposed plan of a card a month would no doubt facilitate this.
The “Cobra” since defeating Atwell in 2016 hasn’t been the same boxer, more exposure and a reinvigorated mindset will no doubt exercise him of whatever mental ghosts have been haunting him.
This is a challenge from Guyana’s boxing fans and sport enthusiasts; can the GBBC revive boxing in Guyana and help the “Land of Many Waters” back to the stature and respect it once held? Guyana and our gladiators in the “squared circle” need it.
