By Gary Tim
Georgia, USA (SMS) — There she sat at home, concerned about the apparent effects of the recent floods in Atlanta, Georgia. But, yet she was cool, calm, collected.
After all, Corinne VanRyck De Groot shares the initial of her given name with the term ‘chicly composed’, and no chaotic climatic condition could bring about chagrin and change her concentration as she is about to challenge for the crown of champion of women’s world bantamweight boxing.
De Groot is the one half of the main bout on the much-anticipated and historic Caribbean Fury boxing card this Saturday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Nicknamed ‘Sexy Panther’, she agrees that the flood acts as a precursor to the deluge of classic boxing she intends to rain down on Guyanese champion Shondell ‘Mystery Lady’ Alfred when they meet.
A woman of beguiling attractiveness, De Groot matched those features with alluring laughter to the flood pun. “I plan on becoming world champion on Saturday. It’s my goal and one of my utmost desires that has eluded me through other circumstances.”
In an exclusive sit down with Stabroek Sport she spoke of the hiatus she took from boxing for other pursuits, and has now returned to fulfill a lifelong ambition.
“Actually I put everything down that I had on my plate and said ‘no’ to a lot of projects so that I can train full time and push through this desire and achieve this goal.”
You see, De Groot is the type of assiduous persona for whom a 24/7 will not suffice. A University graduate with BA degrees in Criminology and English, the former policewoman chomps at a myriad of quests and professions during her waking hours. Apart from being a professional boxer, she is a personal trainer to the stars, a screen actress and stuntwoman, a public speaker and mentor, and ‘Panther’ on the popular NBC-TV program ‘American Gladiators’ that is partially hosted by former world champion Laila Ali.
But, on the evening prior to her departure for Guyana she slowed down a little if only for our interview. “Today I spent the day…” she began, before being interrupted by her two Pomeranian puppies, ‘Mandingo’ and ‘Little Mama’. It was as though they were trying to stop her from divulging the secrets of her 11th hour preparations, but after some charming, as only she can, they settled. “Yes, I got up early this morning went for a light jog and then sparred about seven rounds.” De Groot also did some errands, before tending to the tiny, fluffy dogs; rested a bit; packed for her trip and then our yak.
Relating that she is born to Guyanese parents, Aubrey and Lorraine Degroot, Corinne’s pride was bursting at the seams and she exuded happiness in the chance to experience their birthland. “You know, I’m so excited. My aunt Anne and uncle Paul still lives in Guyana, but I never got the chance to really experience Guyana until now. And, I am so like happy to be able to come and see.” She took her mind away from the ring, saying she’d be in Guyana until Wednesday (September 30th) and would use the chance to visit places of interest, meet relatives and taste the Guyanese cuisine. “My aunt and my mom are the best cooks in the world and I’d love to taste the food there and am gonna’ try not to get fat,” she said with hearty laughter, again; almost like a sign of her anticipated contentment.
The voluble laughter grabbed the dogs’ attention, and they groaned under their breaths, thinking in envious terms. “Arrrgh!” She consoled them, and said she expects to deliver a gem on fight night. “I always come in in good shape. I am hoping to have a good strong fight and I know I am going to be victorious,” she said glaringly, “I know the amount of work I’ve put in, and what I am going to do. My work ethic is very strong.”
That trait, she claims, is copied from her mother. “My mom has very, very strong work values, and I was raised like that by a strong Guyanese woman.” DeGroot’s fixation with her mother’s paradigm underlines her anxiety to be in Guyana. “I want to see where it comes from and how she grew up.” She hopes to be able to absorb it all, meeting more Guyanese and understanding the history of the country. “I am so excited to go to my roots.”
And, De Groot wants to promote Guyana extensively after her visit. “I am so excited to become the world champion and fight for Guyana.” She said she does a lot of public speaking within the entertainment industry, and thus would be able to use Guyana as a platform especially on talk shows. “I talk a lot to young girls and women and I will be better informed to tell them of the importance of knowing where you’re from and your family roots. “This will be bigger than who I am and I’d be able to represent Guyana and really, really do something that I wanted to do for Guyana all along.”
DeGroot is aware the ‘Mystery Lady’ can be just that on fight night. “I heard a few things and I really know she likes to brawl and throw big punches, so I am pretty aware of people who like to throw those big knockout punches so you have to be crafty and I really expect her not to be too mobile.” She takes heart from the fact that she has whipped some of the best brawlers in the game.
“I didn’t really watch tapes of them. What I do I prepare well for all types. I spar with light men, heavy men, right hander, left hander, sluggers, boxers, punchers all different types so that no matter what is in front of me , I’ll be able to adapt easily. You always go in with your plan and be able to adapt to be successful.”
In no uncertain terms, De Groot said she is hoping for Alfred’s best bout, ever. “All I really have to say to Shondell is that I respect her and I hope she’s coming in in shape and I hope she’s ready to fight.” Boxing got into her psyche from her youthful days watching the sport with her father and grandfather in Canada. “I used to love seeing Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns and Marvin Hagler, my favourites fighters.”
To support her work to promote Guyana she plans putting together a documentary titled: “Road to A Homecoming” which will feature her preparations in the USA as well as her activities in Guyana, and more. “I spoke with the promoter, you know, so that we can chronicle everything while I am down there, including going to the falls and hopefully I want to meet a lot o the kids down there and I had asked if I can play soccer with the men’s soccer team while I’m there as well cause soccer is my sport, as well.”
As a Gladiator, the 5’5” has traversed the globe, including Iraq and Kuwait last year on a USO tour, as has South Korea lined up in November. Her string of movies include ‘The Guardia’ besides Kevin Costner and Asthon Kutcher, as well as ‘Bet Your Life’ with Billy Zane – a role that came after she won NBC’s grueling reality show ‘The Next Action Star’. “On October 2nd I also will start doing stunt work on a Robert Downey Jr. movie and then on the 12th ‘am will be doing stunts for a film, I think it’s called ‘The Lottery Ticket with Ice Cube and Lil’ Bow Wow, so I will be busy all the way up to the 13th of November.”
That’s real hectic for a stunt woman, but ‘Panther’ said she has had it more frenzied before. “I have done body burn where I am set on fire. A lot of fight scenes, high falls and rachet stunts where there’s an explosion and you see people being flown back and all sorts of things you can think of … I’ve done high wires where you descend from a building, and the list goes on.”
Mystified and not knowing what to expect I asked her “What is a pretty lady like you doing in such a ‘collision’ sport?” Again, the genial laughter interspersed her words. “You know, I‘d hope you would never ask me that question.” But I did want to know if opponents thought her too pretty to be hurt. “Okay, I am going to answer. To me when somebody asks me something like that like saying if you’re pretty you’re not smart, not able to do certain things, it’s the typical stereotype that has been generated by society. My looks are the very least of who I am and I thank God for making me that way on the external level. Looks associate in certain ways, but I don’t think like that.”
DeGroot’s beauty demands a double take, and though she might have the menacing look of a panther, she sure knows how to exhibit the style and skills of the predatory creature. Just ask top-rated fighters Kelsey Jeffries, Jo Jo Wyman and Brenda Vickers whom she pummeled early her career. In particular, Jeffries, a future IFBA world featherweight champion would be reluctant to recall the bloody battering she suffered at the hands of DeGroot in a featherweight scrap back in 2002. ““I hope somebody would really really try to underestimate me like that, but that would be to their detriment, whether it’s in life’s social circles or in the ring.”
“Little did I know she gifted me on my birthday in 1998 with a unanimous decision win on her professional debut in junior welterweight action?” Thereafter she left three successive opponents sprawled helplessly on the canvas, stopping them in the first rounds of their bouts, including Latasha Boyd and Holly Curry who quit the sport after the beat down. For the Goose’ as she was known then, working with the well-known Zab Judah’s father, Joel taught her the lesson of her boxing philosophy “speed is power and defense is key”.
DeGroot took a two year layoff to concentrate on her acting and stunt woman stuff, but returned as though she was just a day away, to whip Shahurak Witherspoon to the canvass twice forcing a second-round TKO.
“Ha, Ha, Ha, you are so funny, Gary.” she returned initially when I asked if she’d figuratively take the Georgia flood to quell the fire in the belly of the Mystery Lady at Caribbean Fury. “I don’t know.” Again, some more laughter. “I respect everybody that steps into the ring because boxing is the only sport that you don’t play at. So anybody that takes the time to train and steps into the ring, I give the utmost respect to them for that. Even if I knockout my opponent or the fight is stopped, I fight I still have that respect for them cause this is a very, very challenging, difficult sport.”
Away from the glare of the camera and lights, De Groot loves to go to the movies, ride motorcycles and horses and the basic things of life. “I like to run and swim and I know that may still be like training, but I relax a lot too. I don’t go to clubs and I don’t drink alcohol too much, maybe have a drink here or there to celebrate.” She described herself as a loner saying she spend a lot of time solitarily. “I am very quite type of a private person.”
I asked her why not the name Jaguar which is more akin to Guyana, and she laughed this time with a feline roar, “I wanted that, I wanted that,” before I could compete the question. “They give me ‘Panther’ at Gladiators. When I first started that (Jaguar) is what I asked for. I think they give be that because I was the only female of color so rather than saying ‘Black Panther, they called me simply ‘Panther’, that’s my take on how that came up.”
DeGroot might even get to see a jaguar while in Guyana. The cat is more stoutly built compared to the Panther with buffy golden orange fur that shades into yellow. It’s more cunning, quick and sleek and stalks its prey with unrelenting and terrifying precision, something Degroot says she aims to always pattern in the ring, “But, I love the nickname ‘Jaguar’ ‘cause it’s such a powerful, strong, fast animal,” she said, adding, “And, oh! so beautiful externally.”
Corinne VanRyck de Groot the ‘Sexy Panther’ flies into Guyana today on a similar flight schedule to that of the basketball ladies from her neighbouring state. She would occupy herself in Guyana counting he hours to gong time knowing that it resembles her plans to see the referee countdown her opponent from a knockout – no, not of the attractiveness kind, but rather to do with boxing.
