AN anxious Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) Light Heavyweight champion Gwendolyn “Stealth Bomber” O’Neil will definitely be in action in another two weeks as the Smart Touch/Freeman Promotions June 26 card is confirmed.
Promoter Dillon Carew, yesterday, told Chronicle Sport that all six fights have been finalised for the 42-round event at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Guyana’s fourth world champion will be taking on Crystal Lessy of Trinidad & Tobago in the main bout over six rounds.
Asked why the card was so close to the historic world title card on May 29, Carew explained that he had the date before O’Neil’s world title crack but was waiting on the new champion to complete the hurdle.
“I wanted to give her a rest after that bruising encounter, but she wanted to get back in the ring. And after consulting with her trainer, it was agreed that she would fight.”
Manager and husband Ean Peters told Chronicle Sport that O’Neil promised Carew to fight on his card a few months ago.
“Gwen is a person who keeps her promise. And Dillon and the champ go back a far way. So Gwen is keeping her promise to him.”
Asked if the champ was fully recovered, especially the sullen area around her left eye, Peters said that it pulled in nicely, explaining that the swelling was from a head butt.
“My wife is a ruffian. I saw Gwen go through some brutal sparring sessions with guys and she just shakes it off and is back training the next day. She does the same thing after fights. She does not like this throw back style, doing nothing. She did 100 press-ups this morning.”
With the champion raring to go, a star-studded card will unfold with CABOFE Lightweight champion Hugo “Hurricane” Lewis at last clashing with Sherwin Marshall of Barbados in the co-main event over ten rounds. The Bajan had always wanted to meet Lewis, since amateur days, according to Carew.
Shawn Garnett who is back home after a successful sojourn in the USA, will come up against Benjamin Modeste of St Lucia in 10-round light middleweight scrap.
One name will definitely ring out on the card - the “Agricola Boom” as Shelly Gibson returns to the ring to take on the seasoned Margaret “Chico” Walcott in catchweight six rounder.
Linden Arthur, also, returns to meet Kelcie Ross over six rounds in a featherweight encounter.
And to complete the card, former Commonwealth Games featherweight fight Rudy Fraser’s clash with Cecil Smith, a former Caribbean gold medallist, over four rounds.
This card would be Carew’s fourth card, his first at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, the others being staged at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Linden.