Foreign invasion
Lessy suffers controversial loss to London
By Michael DaSilva
Stabroek News
April 18, 2004
Trinidadian Crystal Lessy suffered a controversial loss to Guyana's Pamela `Grenade' London, in the main bout of the Holland's Entertainment Promotions (HET) Foreign Invasion 28-round boxing card at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Friday night.
All the other fights on the night's five-bout card failed to go the distance.
In the main catch weight contest over six rounds, London who weighed-in at 190 pounds was awarded a unanimous points decision victory over Lessy (185 pounds), despite receiving a lesson in fighting from the Trinidadian kick boxing champion.
The judges scored the fight thus: Trevor Arno - 58-56, Andrew Thorne - 59-57 and Mohan Persaud - 58-56 all in favour of London.
When the decision was announced, a large section of the crowd, mostly Guyanese, voiced their disapproval.
Lessy's manager Kim `Crusher' Quashie said: "They rob the girl. I don't like that decision. I'll protest. They rob her. She win." She added: "If it's anything, they could have given a draw, but don't rob the child."
One fan who was in the Trinidadian's dressing room after the fight said: "I'm Guyanese, and I say she get rob. This whole country is corruption."
Quashie maintained that her charge won the fight. "Crystal won the fight fair and square, but I would say Pamela [London] won the first round but Crystal won the other five rounds fair and square. I'm upset. The crowd see it, that's why they booed the decision."
Guyana's female champion and world rater Gwendolyn O'Neil also agreed that Lessy was robbed "I think she [Lessy] won. They robbed her," O'Neil told Stabroek Sport.
In the main supporting bout, Caribbean welterweight champion `Deadly' Denny Dalton registered a 24-second, second-round technical knock-out (TKO) victory over Trinidad's Garfield Quashie in a junior middleweight contest slated for eight rounds.
In other results, national bantamweight champion Leon `Hurry Up' Moore scored a third-round TKO victory over Shawn Pyle in a catch weight six-round contest. Lennox Allen made a successful debut to his professional career with a third-round TKO victory over replacement fighter Troy Lewis in a four-rounder.
In the opening contest, and the only one with a knock-out decision, debutant Rudolph Fraser knocked out fellow debutant Kelcie Ross at one minute 32 seconds of the first round in their bantamweight contest that was scheduled for four rounds.
In round one of the main bout between London and Lessy, both boxers went at each other from the opening bell with London, head down, going to Lessy's body. Lessy countered with an overhand right that sent London to the canvas for an eight count.
In round two, both fighters went at each other again. London connected with three shots to Lessy's head. Soon after, Lessy was warned and had one point deducted, for holding London behind her head. However, Lessy started to use her reach to good advantage, though London still managed to connect with a few shots.
In round three, London connected with three body shots to Lessy and a telling right hand to the head. Lessy and started to use her jabs and overhand rights then connected with a four-punch combination. London responded with a 1-2 and received the same treatment from the Trinidadian.
In round four, Lessy connected with two four-punch combinations and London responded with a 1-2, a jab and another 1-2 combination.
Round five, Lessy connected with two 1-2 combinations then a four-punch combination. London responded with a four-punch combination.
Lessy stepped on her opponent who was at this time pedalling backwards while receiving a four-punch combination to her head for which she had no answer. A double jab and a straight followed and London still did not respond.
In the final round, London went on the attack from the opening bell and connected with a two-punch combination to Lessy's head. But Lessy responded with two shots to London's body.
In the end, London was awarded the victory.
In the main supporting bout, Garfield Quashie, the taller of the two, came out using the peek-a-boo style but Dalton went on the attack immediately, stepping into his opponent with body shots while receiving a few left jabs.
Dalton then launched another attack; connected to Quashie with a series of 1-2 combinations and stayed close to his taller opponent.
Quashie managed to corner Dalton in the neutral corner and landed a few shots. But like a snake, Dalton wiggled out and landed an overhand right before the bell sounded.
From the start of the second round, Quashie came out jabbing, but Dalton moved in close and landed telling body shots that sent Quashie to the canvas for an eight-count.
A series of left-right combinations sent Quashie reeling backward to the neutral corner. Dalton stepped on and landed an eight-punch combination that caused referee Michael Benjamin to intervene and stop the contest 24 seconds into the round.
Quashie immediately protested, but it was evident that he was hurt and wobbly. However, he did remarkably well to recover and regain his equilibrium.
The card was graced with the presence of the touring English cricket team as well as former West Indies fast bowler Colin Croft.