Spark, fire, heat will engulf Smart Touch/Freeman card
…Three champions on show
By Isaiah Chappelle
Guyana Chronicle
June 26, 2004
THREE days short of a month after winning the world title, Gwendolyn ‘Stealth Bomber’ O’Neil steps back into the ring to meet Trinidadian Cristal Lessie, tonight, in the main bout of the Smart Touch/Freeman card at the Cliff Anderson.
And Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) and Caribbean Boxing Association (CBA) super featheweight champion ‘Hurricane’ Hugo Lewis take on Barbadian Shurwyn Marshall who has been waiting for the clash since he saw the Guyanese in the amateur ring.
O’Neil wrested the Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) light heavyweight belt in a bruising encounter with American Kathy Rivers in the historic world title card at the National Park on May 29 last, to become Guyana’s fourth world champion and the first female, more so, achieving the feat in Guyana.
Despite suffering from a swollen left eye, the world champion was anxious to get back in the ring, and the opportunity came for her to fulfil a promise to fight on Carew’s card that was planned months before the world title clash.
O’Neil will now be the first Guyanese as reigning world champion to fight on local soil, facing a lady seeking to avenge a controversial loss right at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on April 16 last.
But if the main bout will produce a heated exchange, the co-main events will start the fire as ‘Hurricane’ Hugo seeks to preserve his unbeaten record. He goes into the ring with 15 wins, eleven through knockouts and one draw.
“Come Saturday night (tonight), I will remain undefeated. I’m in the best shape of my life.”
Opponent Marshall has seven wins and four losses, and this fight will fulfil his desire to meet Lewis.
“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. I saw him fight in Barbados in the Caribbean Championships against Kerry Thomas. I have never seen a fighter like that before. He was the winner from the first round. Since then I wanted to fight him. It’s an honour to fight one of the best of the best.”
The second co-main event puts World Boxing Council Latin American light middleweight champion Shawn Garnett into the local ring for the first time since turning professional. Campaigning in the USA, he has nine wins with two knockouts, lost two and drew one.
Opponent Benjamin Modeste of St Lucia returns to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall where he made his debut, coming up against eventual world champion Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis. He now has four wins with two knockouts, lost four and drew one.
“It’s a pity my opponent is not here (at NCN TV), so we can start the fight now. I’ve come prepared. I am ready. Boxing is moving ahead in the Caribbean. Tell Shawn I want a good fight. I love a good fight.”
If the co-main bouts would start the fight, then the sparks would start flying in the undercards.
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 returns to meet Kelcie Ross over six rounds in a featherweight encounter. And to complete the card, former Commonwealth Games featherweight fight Rudy Fraser clashes with Cecil Smith, a former Caribbean gold medallist, over four rounds.
This card would be Carew’s fourth card and his first at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, the others being staged at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Linden.