Pro boxing returns June 27

After an absence of more than a year, professional boxing returns to the local ring on June 27 with a four-bout card promoted by Randy Glasgow Boxing Productions.

In the main bout Guyanese-born Trinidad and Tobago resident Melroy Corbin will oppose Curtis Murray for the Caribbean Supermiddleweight Championship over 12 rounds at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo. Corbin boasts a record of eight fights with six victories and two losses while the well-travelled Murray, a hero in his homeland, has only been beaten in one of his nine bouts to date. Promoter Randy Glasgow said yesterday he expects a large contingent of Barbadian supporters to accompany Murray for the championship contest, the first to be staged in Trinidad and Tobago for many years. Corbin is being trained by Gordon Hoyte and Winston Cox at the Tigers Gym on Prince Street, Port-of-Spain. On the undercard is a promising match-up between former national and regional champion David Noel who is making a comeback after an absence of over a year. He has a record of 40 fights, nine losses and one draw. The Tobagonian is also a two-time Fecabox middleweight title-holder and FedaLatin champion who was twice ranked in the world’s top ten. Noel is trained by his cousin Claude Noel, TT’s first world champion and will come up against Guyanese Denny Dalton in the 160-lb class over ten rounds. Dalton has won ten of his 14 scraps so far. The preliminary bouts feature Sean Corbin, brother of Melroy against Clint Caballo in a supermiddleweight contest over six rounds; and Kelvin Placide against Learie Bruce, also billed as a six-rounder. Sean Corbin and Placide are also preparing for the upcoming bouts at the Tigers Gym. The card has been put together by international match-maker Buxo Potts. Also expected to spice up the presentation are several female bouts and amateur contests.

Yesterday Glasgow said he had submitted the card for approval by the new Boxing Board of Control headed by Melchoir Taylor and expects a positive response within days. He said the first card under the new board should auger well for the future as he expects the sport to get back on track with regular presentations once the ice has been broken. “In this business there is no making of money in a hurry. You have to make an investment and hope the public buy into it which we expect to happen,” said Glasgow, a former national cricketer. He lamented the fact that the new board has not been given sufficient funds to make a more meaningful role in the promotion and development of the sport. “I think that the board should have at their disposal money to conduct scouting programme or to render assistance to aspiring boxers and to offer technical assistance to promoters and officials,” said Glasgow. However he said he has every confidence in the board led by the experienced Taylor, a referee who has presided in world title fights, to work in the interest of the sport. “This first contest is the beginning of a new era for the sport in the local ring. It is the start of something long overdue,” said Glasgow. He said boxers should now gain a lot of motivation and encouragement from the effort and take to the task of preparing themselves for regular action both in Trinidad and Tobago and internationally.