Tension at women boxers weigh-in

THE tension around their Ibero-Latin American Junior welterweight (140 lbs) title fight, carded for tonight at the Central Indoor Regional Sport Complex, was evident yesterday as title holder Giselle “Magic” Salandy  and challenger Paola Rojas of Colombia weighed in at City Hall, Port-of Spain. While Salandy returned an ideal 137 lbs, Rojas found she was two pounds over the mark which set tongues wagging in both camps as to the next course of action. The Colombian however proceeded to Hilton Trinidad sauna,  and following another weigh-in  half hour later saw her make the weight limit (140 lbs) indicating that the fight will go on as the main event of tonight’s card which begins at 8 pm.

The Women International Boxing Association (WIBA) bye-laws stipulate that under such circumstances the fight may go on as carded but if the overweight fighter wins the title remains vacant, whereas if the fighter who makes the weight wins she is recognised as champion. During the decision process fight promoter Cecil Forde and Buxo Potts, a  member of the Rojas camp were involved in a few heated exchanges while the calm over the Salandy quarter remained intact. Lending his support at the weigh- in was Pan American Games silver medallist and Humming Bird Medal recipient Kerston Manswell, who was full of praise for 17-year-old Salandy, stating that she has an aggression and determination advantage over her opponent and is confident that hers will be a successful title defence.