Manswell fights in Nevada tomorrow

RISING Trinidad and Tobago heavyweight boxer Kertson Manswell is currently in Nevada, USA where he will feature in a four-round bout tomorrow. His opponent will be Mexican Manuel Busquado who has a record of three victories and two defeats in his five fight professional career. Yesterday Tansley Thompson, manager of Manswell said he expected the powerful Tobagonian to up his record to five fights without defeat against Busquado.

“I am continuing to help Manswell to build his record and I hope that by the middle of the year he can have at least three more fights under his belt,” said Thompson. The former top class footballer said although nothing can be taken for granted he believes that Manswell will more  than defeat the Mexican after which he is likely to travel to Miami for a short stint with world famous trainer James Warren. “I expect him back at the end of the month for a card that I am organising, my first for the year,” said Thompson.

Manswell made his professional debut last year after an outstanding career as an amateur, earning sliver medals at the Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games and Central American and Caribbean Games. The 28-year-old also narrowly missed out qualifying for last year’s Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Manswell also reigned as the Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association (CABA) champion. Thompson is grooming him, along with welterweight Kirt Sinnette for possible regional and world championship challenges within the next 18 months.

Since taking both promising and talented boxers under his wing, Thompson has revved up the local boxing activities and has single-handedly rescued the sport from the doldrums staging regular cards which have found favour with the Boxing Board of Control and fight fans. More importantly he has gained the confidence and trust of sponsors who are now prepared to invest in the sport giving the young boxers, both amateur and professionals, greater opportunities to highlight their skill. “Boxing is more than a sport for me,” said Thompson yesterday. “My intention is to join Government in their drive to stamp out crime through sports luring the young boys out of the dangerous life on the streets and into the gym,” he said.

He said he is prepared to devote all his energies in the coming year to achieve his goals organising boxing cards and raising funds to set up and equip gyms to get young boxers more involved. He revealed that former Canada-based Trevor Berbick, a Jamaican who held the world heavyweight championship is still in Trinidad assisting at the Tigers Gym in Port-of-Spain. Berbick arrived in Trinidad over the Christmas holidays for an exhibtion bout against Manswell on the Boxing Night card at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of Spain. Efforts are being made to lure George Foreman, another ex-world champion to fight Berbick in a clash of the veterans possibly in Trinidad and Tobago later this year. “Negotiations are still taking place and we have not given up on the possibility,” said Thompson.