ST. LUCIA--“I was in my dressing room. I could hear my opponent in the next room warming up. He was punching the pads… hard. I knew it was gone to be a tough fight. But I was not scared or even nervous,” said St. Maarten Boxer Stephan Duzong.
The 18 year old in his first fight faced crowed favourite fighter Denelson Jn Marie in the Creole Boxing Tournament in the St. Lucia. Duzong competed in the Junior Division Middle weight class (68-75kg.)
It was the St. Maarten boxer’s first fight. It was also his first time in a real boxing ring and even his first time with 10 ounce gloves.
“We train with 16 ounce gloves.”
It was also his coach’s first fight in a corner. “It was a great experience said Earl Duzong. “I learned a lot by watching the other fights.
Duzong had been a St. Maarten athlete. He played basketball and represented St. Maarten several times.
“My son got into boxing. I wanted to support him so I put up the basketball shoes and started coaching,”
“I climbed into the ring recalled Stephan. “The crowd was noisy and not real nice to me.”
“The first round I was cautious. I did not want to make a mistake.”
In the second round he landed a few good punches. “I looked into the other guys eyes. I could see he was a wreck. I decided to throw caution to the wind.”
Seconds later the St. Lucia corner threw in the towel. The bout was stopped just 1:35 minutes into the round.
Duzong was declared the winner and awarded a gold medal.
Approximately 50 boxers representing nine countries participated in the tournament.
Duzong is set to step into a ring for the second time at the Battle of the Islands on St. Maarten in the fall.
“We are very proud of our boxer,” said Coach Duzong. “He worked hard and it paid off.”
Stephan, Earl and another St. Maarten Boxer Malcolm Phillips visited the young athletes at the Little League’s Player Development Program.
Stephan told the children age 7 to 12 about his experience in the ring in St. Lucia, about the hard work it takes a to win a gold medal and to thank the children who wrote him to congratulate him on the victory. The Duzongs who were sponsored by Orange Grove Pharmacy had stopped by Player Development to talk to the children before their trip. The group followed Duzong’s progress were excited to learn he won.
“The letters meant a lot to me,” said Stephan.
