Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) bantamweight champion, Guyanese Shondell ‘Mystery Lady’ Alfred is scheduled to face Mexican Yazmin Rivas for her International Boxing Federation (IBF) female bantamweight title in Gimnasio de las Liebres, Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, Mexico on February 4.
This was revealed to Stabroek Sport on Friday by Alfred’s trainer Sebert Blake.
Blake said they were contacted by the promoter for the bout and immediately accepted as it is as a golden opportunity for the ‘Mystery Lady’
Said Blake, “We were given an offer to fight for the IBF bantamweight title, by the promoter of the fight against the Mexican girl, who won the title late last year against a good fighter. Maybe they wanted a good opponent and they saw it fit for Shondell and we accepted it with open arms, we see it as an opportunity for Shondell to show her boxing ability on the international scene and add another title to career”.
Rivas won the IBF title in October last year after she defeated Australian, Susie Ramadan by split decision in Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
Rivas, 24, has a record of 23 wins and seven losses with nine of her wins coming by KO.
The ‘Mystery Lady’ who turns 30 in July, said she does not have a lot of knowledge of her opponent, however she will be doing all that is necessary to beat Rivas on her home turf.
“Although we don’t know a lot about this girl, I am confident in my abilities and I know I will beat her. I’m not predicting a knockout but once it comes I’m going for it because once you go into another boxer’s country you have to do what you have to do to win the fight,” Alfred said.
Alfred who has not lost a bout since 2006 has a record of 13 wins and five losses with four of her victories by knockout.
Blake also revealed that Alfred was in the gym for quite some time last year only taking a break for the Christmas season and is currently working on her strength and technique to secure the victory in Mexico.
“She was training for quite some time but she took a rest for the holidays but since the year started she was doing a lot of strength work so it is just basically to get certain things going in terms of technique and getting to know things about her opponent and what her opponent does. So we will be working on tactics and everything to bring her up to the speed in order to secure a victory,” said Blake.
Alfred, Blake and her other trainer Joseph Murray are awaiting their visas to wing out to Mexico on February 1.
Caption: Guyana’s and WIBA’s world bantamweight champion Shondell ‘Mystery Lady’ Alfred working on the heavy bag during her training session at the Youth Foundation (FYF) gym on Friday (Orlando Charles photo)
