`If he thinks he is coming in my backyard to fight a lame duck he best start doing the quacking’
By Carwyn Holland
Guyana’s second World Champion Wayne “Big Truck” Braithwaite says he knows nothing much about Barbadian Shawn “The Sniper” Cox, but what he knows for sure is that the Barbadian will not leave Guyana with a victory come February 25th.
The two Caribbean stars are set to collide at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) heavyweight title.
The winner is expected to enter the much talked about WBC World Cup in which eight divisions will be contested between regional, international and silver champions.
The Barbadian “Sniper” Cox has been enjoying hand-picked easy preys in Guyana over his last few outings as he was fed with overmatched local opponents to build a decent record of 15 fights with 14 knockouts against one loss.
“The Big Truck” on the other hand, has been having a horrid time landing a fight in recent years. In the last six years of his career, Braithwaite fought only five times even though he was booked to fight many times more. The hard hitting southpaw from Plaisance had to endure several opponents pulling out of fights with him at the last minute, but he continues to train with the hope of landing a fight.
His signing with world-famous promoter Don King remains questionable because of the Guyanese hero’s lack of activities.
“This fight to me is just one for my Guyanese people and I am not really worried about the Bajan,” Braithwaite said.
“However, I am not taking him for granted because he has a pair of hands like I do and in boxing, it just takes one punch to knock you out so I won’t take him lightly. I never saw him fight before but from what I’ve heard of him, he is a very decent fighter who is enjoying himself beating up my Guyanese brothers. So this ‘eye pass’ must stop and I intend to do so when we meet,” the former World Champion said in a staid tone.
The contract for the fight is still to be signed but Braithwaite remains optimistic that both parties will ink the deal and get on with the business of fistic fury. He said was already training for a fight which fell through so he is more than happy to take this opportunity to fight Cox.
“When I last fought in Guyana against Wayne Harris I was just a young prospect, but now it’s a big difference and I am much better than those days. I have faced the best and lost only to World Champions. I am not saying I will knock him out, but if it comes I will oblige. Ring rust won’t be a problem for me despite the fact that he is more active because I am always in the gym,’ the World rater added.
The fight is expected to attract wide interest across the region and the Guyanese, who always fights wearing the `Golden Arrowhead’ says he will be coming to put on a good show and to win in front of his home crowd.
“I am not coming to be no stepping stone for no body, especially that Bajan, because if he thinks he is coming in my backyard to fight a lame duck, he best start doing the quacking. I am a World class fighter and I don’t see Cox beating me for nothing. At the end of the night he will be leaving empty handed because I will not let someone like him beat me. I am Plaisance born and bred and we don’t go down like that. He is probably saying the same thing so let’s go to war,” he added.
The “leftie” who is not short for words, wants Guyanese to come out in large numbers and see him fight. He currently trains under Guyanese Coach Dillon Carew six days a week and is expected in Guyana about four days before his fight.
The card is promoted by the Guyana Boxing Board of Control and will feature several CABOFE title fights with the Braithwaite/Cox match-up as the main event.
