‘Terrible,’ ‘Fire Baby’ get title shots

TWO promising Trinidad and Tobago female boxers will get the opportunity to challenge for world championships later this month. And their trainer, Fitzroy Richards of the White Eagle Gym in Siparia is brimming with confidence that they have the talent and skill to achieve their objective in the highly competitive world of women’s professional boxing. First up is 18-year-old Iva Weston, a light welterweight (140 lbs) who comes up against Poland’s Ava Rylik in a ten-round contest for the Women’s International Boxing Federation (WIBF) crown on December 18 in Budapest, Hungary. Weston, an ambidextrous boxer has only been defeated once in her 12 professional bouts to date. The loss came at the hands of American Belinda “Brown Sugar” Laranquente earlier this year in Florida. She is now ranked No 1 in the world.

Rylik, who enjoys great popularity in her homeland as a boxer, model and fashion designer has an outstanding recird of 11 knockouts in her 16 fights with only one defeat. The only blemish on her record was against American Tracy Byrd. Yesterday Weston, nicknamed “Terrible,” exuded confidence ahead of the clash which will take place far away from home, in a cold unfriendly city in front of partisan fans and officials who are expected to be all Europeans. “I have the skills, talent and proper training to win. I am fit and ready to tackle Rylik,” Weston said. Originally a southpaw, she said an injury to her hand forced her to change her boxing style and under the guidance of Richards, an Offshore Utilities Coordinator with BP Trinidad and Tobago Limited, has developed into a mean fighting maching capable of using both fists with deadly effect.

“I have been preparing for the fight with sparring partners who are heavier than me and doing a lot of running to build my condition,” said Weston. Among her training partners are Krystal Lessey, a 22-year-old light heavyweight (175 lbs) who will oppose Guyanese Gwendolyn O’Neal in a ten-rounder for the vacant Women’s International Boxing Council (WIBC) crown. The clash is scheduled for Georgetown on Boxing Day (December 26) and will be Lessey’s fourth visit to The Mudland, a trip which she hopes will finally bring her success. She only boasts of four wins in her 11 professional fights but believes her fortunes are about to improve after changing trainers earlier this year.

Formerly attached to the Phoenix Gym in Princes Town, Lessey was taken by Richards on the urging of her mother and in her first bout since switching camps won in impressive style against Sharon Antigua. However she has to lose approximately 20 pounds to make the weight against O’Neal but Richards does not forsee any problems in this regard. He is confident that her training routine would help her shed the unwanted pounds. “I did not have much lateral movement before. Now I am moving around better, stepping back, executing my jabs and adapting to the new methods well,” said Lessey, nicknamed “Fire Baby.” O’Neal, a former WIBA title-holder who was stripped of her crown has three losses in her 12 bouts. Richards said that Lessey is extremely popular in Guyana from her visits there and anticipates a clear victory for his boxer.