Guyanese prodigal son, unbeaten super middleweight Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen, returns home to Georgetown, Guyana for an Independence Day showdown Saturday night (May 28) versus Kwesi Jones (7-1, 4 KOs) in a 12-round match for the vacant WBC Caribbean Boxing Federation title, at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Allen (14-0-1, 9 KOs), a 25-year-old southpaw now living in Brooklyn, turned pro seven years ago in Georgetown. He moved a year later to Perth, Western Australia in order to advance his pro boxing career, but 18 months later he returned to Guyana.
After fighting three more times at home, Lennox took advantage of an opportunity to come to the United States in 2008 as a sparring partner for Bernard Hopkins. Allen captured the vacant Guyanese super middleweight title nearly two years ago, moved to Brooklyn a little more than a year ago, and then signed a promotional contact with Boxing 360.
Allen, who is now rated No. 9 by the USBA and No. 16 by the NABF, captured the New York State super middleweight crown last November, stopping previously undefeated Nick Brinson in the seventh round. “We’re very happy with the progress Lennox has made and it’s quite an honor for him to be invited back home to fight on a card celebrating his country’s Independence,” Boxing 360 CEO and Founder Mario Yagabi said. “We’re keeping him busy (this will be his sixth fight since last October) and positioning him for bigger and better fights in the not too distant future.”
The boxing fan-friendly Allen hasn’t fought in Guyana since June 27, 2009, when he knocked out Leon Gilkes in the second round. “This is a great chance for me to fight at home for the first time in a few years,” Allen remarked. “I’m very excited. I’m much more mature, mentally and physically, since I last fought there and I hope everybody back home sees my improvement.
“I’m comfortable living and training in New York City. I’m happy with the way Boxing 360 has kept me going. I’m fighting often and that’s helped me become a complete fighter. I’m disciplined and can fight or box. Boxing is all about making adjustments in the ring and that’s what I’ll be doing once again in this fight.”
Jones is riding a five-fight win streak, including a decision last September against former European champion and two-time world title challenger Howard “The Battersea Bomber” Eastman, into his match-up against Allen.
“When Lennox left Guyana,” Boxing 360 Director of Boxing Bob Duffy explained, “he hadn’t accomplished too much in boxing. Now, he’s returning home as a top prospect with a growing following. There is no greater honor in competition to fight for your country at the highest level, especially in your hometown, like Lennox will be doing May 28th in Georgetown. Not many athletes get an opportunity like this.”
