Kickboxer Isidore creates history

Leroy Isidore created history when he became the first non-Surinamese fighter to win the  Night of Remembrance “Last Man Standing” competition at the Imay Van Wilgen Sporthal Auditorium in Paramaribo, Suriname. He was originally in the former Dutch colony for a boxing scrap on November 6 and was representing Fine Line Gym of montrose, Chaguanas. But the pugilist, reigning Trinidad and Tobago and Caribbean Lightweight champion entered the competition to face fighters from Curacao, Aruba, French Guiana and Suriname after his opponent was unable to make the match. The holder of the Caribbean Lightweight Kickboxing title, Isidore, who at 58 kilogrammes was the lightest competitor in the seven-man field, attributes paying attention to his coach Bharath Ramoutar in order to get past his three opponents.

He said they all had a reach advantage but Ramoutar instructed him to get in close and use the fists that bought him the Caribbean Amateur Boxing Championship. This advice proved more than useful as their reach was nullified by the tactics and helped him turn the tables. In the first of his two-round match-ups Isidore overcame 64 kilogramme fighter Clement Gautier of French Guiana’s Monjoly Club and immediately received the support of the vociferous Surinamese crowd. His next match against a 965 kilogramme fighter, also of the Monjoly Club advanced Isidore to the three two-minute round final against another French Guianese, by the name of Mussa, who was the competition’s heaviest fighter. Speaking on his return to Trinidad and Tobago, Isidore thanked Ramoutar, Roger Baptiste and Women’s International Boxing Association Ibero American Mini-Flyweight title holder Ria Ramnarine also of Fine Line Gym among others for their support and instruction which prepared him for the triumph.

Ramoutar, the President of the Trinidad and Tobago Kickboxing Federation (TTKBF), said his fighter has shown tremendous potential and should be in line or a world title if he continues in the same vein. Taking the opportunity to address a more serious issue, Ramoutar said he was disappointed that kickboxers like Isidore and Ramnarine had to put their passion on hold and function as boxers in Trinidad and Tobago because of the Ministry of Sport’s inability to resolve a conflict between the TTKBF and the National Kickboxing Council (NKC). Formerly a member of the NKC, Ramoutar revealed that the point of contention was with the current NKC administration who have as their head a “president for life.” Ramoutar said because of policies in place, kickboxers have been suffering since 1997. He called for free and fair elections of kickboxing officials to a national body  presided over by Ministry of Sport and Youth officials in order to restore the sport to its glory days.