– All roads lead to the Sports Hall
Corinne ‘Sexy Panther’ De Groot weighed in almost three pounds (117.6 lbs) more than her opponent Shondell ‘Mystery Lady’ Alfred (114.8 lbs) ahead of their clash tonight for the vacant Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) bantamweight title at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
De Groot, who has an unblemished record of 11 fights and 11 wins, told reporters that the weight could become a factor but Alfred was quick to retort saying, “I’ve always fought bigger fighters in my life.”
De Groot felt the weight advantage would give her the victory.
“First of all I’m glad to make the weight. Actually I had no problems making it and I think it will give me an advantage. I’m heavier; I know that I’m stronger so I know I have this one,” De Groot said.
But Alfred was not perturbed.
“The thing is everyone knows I’m a small fighter. I’m used to fighting bigger and heavier persons because I’ve been doing that my entire career. Normally, I never make 118 and this fight is 118. We took it because we know I will beat her, so to my fans, the weight is not the problem. I don’t care how much more she has than me, I will take her down, this is my time to shine,” Alfred declared.
Both fighters were full of confidence on the eve of the all important bout.
“I have no predictions right now, but to say I will win,” said `Sexy Panther’ adding, “I’m so excited to step into the ring tomorrow (tonight). I just want to show Guyana my skills and that I will be a good champion for them. Everything I do right now is to promote Guyana; when I go across the world doing my stunts, my acting, my work as an American gladiator, I would be promoting Guyana and not to mention when I become a world champion.”
‘The Mystery Lady’ assertively said that this means too much to her to let De Groot beat her and said that it would be a war since that’s what she’s prepared to do tonight.
”I have no predictions to make but what I will say is that I will walk away the winner and Guyana’s next world champion. I have not fought 10 rounds before but I’m more than prepared to go more than 10 rounds. It’s just two more rounds that I’m used to, so after tomorrow, their will be no mystery….the mystery would be solved and I will be a world champion!” declared Alfred who has record of 10 wins from 15 fights and five loses.
Tonight’s main supporting bout is also expected to be closely contested with Guyana’s Leon ‘Hurry-Up’ Moore coming up against Mauricio Pastrana for the vacant NABA super bantamweight title, the WBC Continental Americas and CABOFE bantamweight titles as well as the WBA Fedelatin and Fedecaribe super bantamweight titles.
Surprisingly Pastrana will be entering the ring tonight weighing 120 lbs while Moore tipped the scale last evening at the Kings Plaza weighing 118.2 lbs.
But Moore, who is now ranked number six by the World Boxing Council (WBC), has a longer reach since he is some five inches taller (5’ 10”) than Pastrana (5’ 5”).
“I’m used to fighting taller fighters. I know how to deal with him,” Pastrana had declared in several interviews since being in Guyana. While Moore, not known to be a man of many words, only said ,“You will have a rough going in the ring against me…this is my time to shine.”
Pastrana has a ring record of 35 wins from 48 fights, 23 of which he put his opponents to the canvas.
But he also has 11 loses. He is also a six-time world champion; winning those six titles in three different weight divisions.
For Moore, the reigning CABOFE super bantamweight title holder and the Caribbean’s highest ranked fighter, his record stands at 24 wins from 26 fights with two loses.
Meanwhile, on the undercard, Guyana’s national middleweight champion Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman will face ‘the fighting Trini’ Kevin Placide over 10 rounds.
National welterweight champion Iwan Azore and Wayne Briggs are expected to settle an old grievance over six rounds. The last time the two met was in 2004 at the Splashmins Fun Park where Azore won by a unanimous decision.
Former national bantamweight champion Dexter ‘The Kid’ Marques is down to face Hewley Robertson over four rounds and two former well accomplished amateur fighters Paul Lewis Jr. and Shawn Pile will touch gloves over six rounds to see who has made a better transition to the pros.
Tonight’s card is made possible by S and S Promotions and Holland’s Entertainment.
