By Isaiah Chappelle
Guyana Chronicle
May 20, 2001
A champion's history: Long-standing coach, George Oprecht (with cap), relates how the boxing career of World champion Andrew `Sixhead' Lewis began at the Young Achievers Gym. Next to him is Odinga Lumumba. INSPIRED by the historic success of Andrew `Sixhead' Lewis, the Young Achievers Gym where the World Boxing Association Welterweight champion began his formal boxing was renamed after the world famous Guyanese.
In dedicating the gym, Minister of Sport Gail Teixeira told the champion: "You (Lewis) have become a real role model for us."
Minister Teixeira disclosed that since she got to know Lewis she has developed a great respect for him.
"He is an extremely special person," the Minister said.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds received the plaque which will be installed on the cornerstone when the gym is reconstructed into an ultra modern sport facility which will service all sportspersons.
Long-standing boxing coach, George Oprecht, gave some details of the champion's entry into organised boxing, previously not made public.
Oprecht recalled: "One day, I saw a little Rasta boy come into the gym and said he wanted to fight the best boxer in the gym. He got a licking, but he returned the next day to join the gym. That was the last time he was beaten locally."
That was one afternoon, back in 1982 and `Sixhead' was eleven years old. The boxer whom the now-champion fought was Junior Drakes, well known as `Swank' who was a Carifta Gold medallist.
Lewis went on to beat Drakes in the Under-16 competition, grabbed titles in the National Novices, Intermediate and Open championships.
`Sixhead' never lost a competition," Oprecht said.
The coach disclosed that two defeats Lewis suffered as a junior-welterweight in the amateur ring were to a Cuban, first in the Pan-American Games in Cuba and later in Mexico.
Oprecht then reasoned that if Lewis were to advance, he would have to go up to the welterweight division. And the first person he met in the new division was the-then hot Mark Richardson.
"Every body said he could not beat the more experienced Richardson, but he did," Oprecht said.
Oprecht later told Chronicle Sport that the gym was first located in James Street, Albouystown.
"It was in a backyard and when the rain fell, we could not train for three to four months," Oprecht recalled.
The-then Prime Minister, Hamilton Green, was approached and the present gym was constructed on the Boulevard in 1984.
Green, now Mayor, declared: "This (renaming) is the most significant event to be held during this (Sixhead's) visit."
The Mayor envisaged that the new gym will serve not only boxers, but all sportspersons, complete with a library to have youths expand not only physically selves but mentally, too.
"We'll make this gym one of the best gyms in this part of the world. This gym will produce many more world champions," Green said.
Mayor Green added more significance to the day's proceedings when he announced that Independence Boulevard will be renamed Andrew `Sixhead' Lewis Boulevard, the second name change. The punt trench was called Punt Trench Dam when it was filled and later renamed Independence Boulevard.