Bajan heavyweight dismisses Manswell

Yesterday the fighters went through the weigh-in process at the Tigers Boxing Gym on Prince Street, Port- of-Spain with Manswell taking the weight advantage at 247 pounds and a longer reach.

The Tobagonian is also much taller than his opponent.

Murray stands at 226 pounds, a difference of 15 pounds. He said yesterday he is not afraid of Manswell.

"I have gotten into boxing because I like the sport and I think that I can do well on my own because nothing scares me any more," Murray said.

"The tougher they come the more comfortable I feel and therefore Manswell will not scare me," Murray said confidently yesterday. He said he is not one to be intimidated easily and will go out to do his best.

"I am more of an inside fighter and I understand that Manswell is the type of fighter who goes after his opponents," Murray said.

He said Manswell’s style of boxing will suit him well because the TT boxer has not fought anyone like him before. "I will get under his skin," he said.

Murray’s confidence has been boosted also by his career victories against some of the Caribbean’s top boxers, including Clint Caballo, a top local fighter and Garfield Quashie.

At age 32, Murray, like Manswell has a record of nine wins with knockouts in as many fights.

The Barbadian has also had to suffer the setback of lack of top class opponents in the past but he told Newsday that "things have got to happen quickly, as the clock is ticking rapidly."

Manswell meanwhile looked quite relaxed at the weigh-in ceremony and more concerned with when and how he will encounter tougher opponents to improve his record. President of Trinidad and Tobago’s Boxing Board (TTBB) Melchior Taylor has said the keep back is lack of funding. Only recently Taylor publicly stated that Manswell should get get more high-profile opponents to improve his chances of a world title shot.

Taylor said yesterday while everyone wants to see Manswell tested by tougher challengers, the board has struggled to get the financial assistance to first get the fighters here, and then put on the cards.

"When you get a fighter from the United States and elsewhere to fight Manswell here, they normally ask for at least US$10,000 for the fight," Taylor said.

"The problem then is where are we going to get that kind of money from? We have been unable to get sponsors to come on board and therefore it has been difficult to get fights for Manswell and people like Kirt Sinnette," Taylor said.

The fight will be the feature bout on the night, and will follow a series of amateur fight starting at 8 pm.

Another promising fight on the night’s card will be between Trinidad and Tobago’s Waldron Brooks and Guyana’s Ivan Azure who has been based here in Trinidad for the past years.

According to Gordon Hoyte, Manswell’s manager there will be six amateur bouts in which TT’s local fighters will be on show.

Among them will be Kirt Blackwell and Aaron Hassett.