"2 Sharp" hopes to be next big thing from Guyana
Press Release: The last time Lennox “2 Sharp” Allen touched American soil was way back in 2002 when he was on his way to El Salvador. It wasn’t such a good outing for the then 17 year old 6’2” southpaw from Guyana. On that trip, a Colombian edged him 7-5 in the Semifinals. That was his second loss as an amateur after a fifty-fight unbeaten streak. He suffered his first loss a few weeks earlier at the South American Games in San Paulo, Brazil when he came up short against an Argentinean heading into the finals. These pair of losses did not go down well with Allen, who threatened to quit the amateur ranks but was encouraged by Coach Seibert Blake, to wait until he competed at the Olympic Box-off in 2004. The young pugilist from Front Road in West Ruimveldt, Georgetown spent 2003 preparing for the box-off and his chance to qualify for the Athens Olympics. He was named Guyana’s Captain in the process and looked ready to qualify in 2004 but again, he suffered a setback. This time outside of the ring as the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association was cash strapped and could not afford to send a team to the qualifiers. Allen considered the setback the end to his amateur career (52 fights, 50 wins, 2 losses) and quit to turn pro.
He made his debut on April 16, 2004 at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown, Guyana when he stopped Troy Lewis inside two rounds. He returned to the ring on May 29th at the National Parks in Georgetown on an historic card promoted by Carwyn Holland the 2004 WIBA promoter of the year and punched his way to a dominating unanimous decision over Wane Briggs. In December of that same year, Allen knocked out US Based Guyanese Ryan Foster within one round before heading out of Guyana to Perth, Australia. There he joined countryman Gairy St. Claire and reportedly got the better of all who sparred with him including current world champion Anthony Mundine and future middleweight contender Daniel Dawson.
Allen made his Aussie debut on February 24, 2005 against debutant Eak Ubol Por Muangubol and pounded the Thai fighter for a unanimous decision. Two weeks later he was back in action, this time stopping undefeated Joe Lopez inside one. Allen went inactive for exactly one year before someone was brave enough to face him inside the squared circle on March 4, 2006, but not in Perth or wider Australia, he had to travel all the way to Indonesia to face hometown star Ade Alfons in his backyard. This was a fight Allen considers his toughest to date, but he won convincingly on all three judges scorecard. Ringside journalists covering the Chris John-Juan Manuel Marquez main event nicknamed Allen “2 Sharp” and described him as a Joe Calzaghe look-a-like. This publicity did not do the fast developing boxer/puncher any good, as landing another fight became difficult since no one wanted to face this young man.
This prompted a return to Guyana and Allen's manager claims top Guyanese boxers including former WBA Welterweight titlist Andre “6 Heads” Lewis and “Deadly” Denny Dalton refused to fight him because Allen's manager claims both Lewis and Dalton tasted the canvas while sparring with Allen at the Forgotten Youth Foundation and the Andrew Lewis Gyms.
After another year away from the ring, Allen decided to reunite with longtime promoter/manager Carwyn Holland and immediately restart his journey to a world championship. On April 7, 2007 he battled with local favorite Winston Pompey at the National Parks in Georgetown, Guyana and executed a points victory which included three knockdowns. Six months later Allen’s management had to promote a card just to keep the young up and comer busy. He faced a 1992 Barcelona Olympian from the Dominican Republic name Rafael “The Hitman” Romero in an eight rounder at the Thirst Park Ground in Georgetown. The fight lasted only one round with Romero hitting the canvas three times on his way to a 50 second stoppage. Some writers at that Caribbean Boxing Classic Card wrote off Allen’s opponent as overmatched, while some said Allen was too powerful blowing the Santo Domingo fighter away like a hurricane.
Team Allen then secured a fight with American Promoter Joe Goosen in St. Lucia the following month (November 16, 2007) where he was summoned to fight American Jonathan Nelson (16-18-0) at middleweight. “2 Sharp” Allen was too sharp for the American who was six years his senior and this time, writers praised his timing, ring craft and body punching, while Craig Goosen described him as a talent lying dormant in the Caribbean.
The different descriptions of the now 22 year old Lennox Allen only speak volumes of his ability. He was first spotted at age 12 by popular boxing promoter/manager Keith Bazilio who predicted that Allen would be a world champion if properly guided. Bazilio had also read the horoscope of former Guyanese world champions Andrew “6 Heads” Lewis, Wayne “Big Truck” Braithwaithe and Gairy “Superman” St. Claire all of whom he managed or assisted in their early careers. Allen would often visit the Forgotten Youth Foundation Gym owned by Bazilio after school to watch the likes of St. Claire and others before deciding to put on the gloves. His uncle Godfrey Baptiste was also a lightweight boxer who would take Allen to watch his fights. His father died tragically when Allen was age 14, leaving him and his three siblings (1 boy, 2 girls), but his Mother Hannah Allen and his Foster Father Olson George kept supporting him through his amateur career. This kept him out of the usual street fights and streamlined a career in the fistic sport for the soft spoken southpaw.
Now undefeated in nine fights, five coming by knockouts, Lennox “2 Sharp” Allen says he is ready for the big stage, including Kelly Pavlik, Joachim Alcine, Cory Spinks and Vernon Forrest. He also confidently stated that he would trash fellow Guyanese “6 Heads” Lewis, “Deadly” Dalton and Raul Frank in one night, that’s why they are afraid to face him at home in Guyana.
He sees Felix Trinidad, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Winky Wright, Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins all as his role models. His admiration for Hopkins however will be tested this week when the two spar at the Wild Card Boxing Gym in California. According to many boxing pundits Allen looks like Calzaghe in the squared ring, but is faster, more elusive, and comes to fight or box, depending on the opponent he is facing.
Allen was recently inked by Winky Promotions to a three-fight deal and is currently managed by Carwyn Holland. The name Lennox “2 Sharp” Allen is now out again in the media and his sparing gig will allow him to be seen by Hopkins and De La Hoya very soon, so maybe fans around the world can expect yet another serious contender from Guyana.
