Stephanie ‘Razor’ George will have a chance at becoming Guyana’s eighth world champion when she faces Mexico’s Anna Maria Torres on October 31 in Mexico City for her World Boxing Council (WBC) Women’s Super Flyweight title.
The match was made by promoter Carwyn Holland who told Stabroek Sport yesterday that he was able to use his contacts in the boxing world to set up the 29-year-old Guyanese with her second shot at a world title.
“They have a card in Mexico and the slot was open, so I made a few contacts and was able to give George the shot,” Holland said, adding that he is scheduled to be in Mexico for a meeting sometime next week.
“First of all, I know she is a strong fighter –it’s just that Shondell (Alfred) has been getting the better of her all the time, but I know she will go there and do her thing you know, it’s not an easy fight I can tell you that, but she is a warrior.”
George, when contacted said that although she was not in fight mode at the time of getting the offer, she and her coach Ernest Barnwell were quick to hit the gym because this could be her time to shine.
“Well I wasn’t training really before now, but I know how boxing is, you can get a shot at any time, so when we got the call about the fight, we went straight to the gym and begun some serious work,” George said.
George’s last opponent was the Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) Bantamweight Champion Shondel Alfred, whom she lost to by a unanimous decision.
Nevertheless, George said that she does not want to follow in the footsteps of Alfred but prefers to lead a trail of her own.
“Honestly, congratulations to Shondell, but I wouldn’t say that I want to follow in her footsteps, I want to lead my own you know . . . boxing is a funny sport and that was her time to shine and I think this is my time.
“I have only had two weeks to prepare for this fight but everyone knows I’m a warrior and I will go out there and do my best to win that title,” the ‘Razor’ noted.
On paper, the Guyanese who is known for her toughness in the ring, will certainly have a fight on her hands since the 29-year-old Mexican is considered pound-for-pound one of the better fighters in the smaller division.
Torres’ ring record stands at 19 wins from 24 fights, with 11 of those wins coming by knockout. She also has three losses and two draws.
In her last fight in August this year, she retained her WBC Super Flyweight title with a unanimous decision win over Ava Knight.
‘Razor ‘ George on the other had last fought for a world title in 2004 against Leona ‘Bad News’ Brown when she lost the vacant WIBC Bantamweight title by unanimous decision in New York.
The Guyanese record stands at five wins, and seven losses from 12 fights. “I’m going there to war and do my best and I promise to put my best foot forward,” George told Stabroek Sport but Torres since turning pro in 1999 has only lost one fight in Mexico and that was in 2004 against fellow countrywoman Ivonne Munoz for the country’s bantamweight title.
