Two women’s bouts on Boxing Night card
… Sports Hall set to erupt with excitement

Guyana Chronicle
December 22, 2002

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THE Cliff Anderson Sports Hall should erupt with great excitement because the Guyana Boxing Board of Control has included two bouts for the women on the Boxing Night professional card, a popular feature on many cards internationally.

In fact the main supporting bout is an international clash between Gwendolyn ‘The Stealth Bomber’ O’Neil and American ‘Vicious’ Veronica Simmons.

Another international bout pits Shondell Alfred against Lisa Brown of Canada over six rounds in a bantamweight encounter.

Still undefeated ‘The Stealth Bomber’ will have to prove that she is world class. She went to the world famous Gleason’s Gym in New York, but returned home because, as she reported, the training was too soft for her.

But other reports suggest that the trainers in New York were working more on polishing her technique because O’ Neil displayed tremendous power.

O’Neil prefers the rougher sort of training, punching bags a must. That can only indicate what her intentions are in the ring - to destroy her opponent.

Simmons might be the first class boxer to battle with O’Neil, providing good ingredients for a stormy battle.

Alfred will meet Brown a second time. The first time, she was knocked out on a card staged in the north.

But Alfred had just one week to prepare for the encounter, taking the fight at very short notice. She was in no condition for such a task.

Boxing Night is telling time as the 21-year-old, who follows her father’s footsteps in the ring, aims to reverse the loss. She has been going through her paces in the Forgotten Youth Foundation in Albouystown under the eagle eye of George Oprecht.

And do you know? Alfred is sparring with National champion Richard Howard and his brother Vincent. Much steam should erupt.

In fact Vincent ‘The Kid’ Howard is also preparing for the Boxing Night card, when he will once again meet Hugo ‘Hurricane’ Lewis for the second successive year for a Lightweight title. Last year, it was for the National belt, and this time it is for the Caribbean title.

Lewis, who won the first encounter, is expected to return home from his training base in the USA, today. Last year, it was exciting. This year could only just be as thrilling.

A Junior Welterweight scrap between Dexter Breedy and Cassius Matthews is also on the card. (Isaiah Chappelle)

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