War of words erupts ahead of world boxing title boutBy ZAID MOHAMMED Sports Editor Sunday, July 19 2009
A WAR OF words has erupted between female boxers Ria Ramnarine of Trinidad and Tobago and Ana Fernandez of Venezuela ahead of their highly anticipated bout on July 31.
Ramnarine and Fernandez will clash over ten rounds for the World Boxing Association (WBA) Interim World Title at the Chaguanas Indoor Regional Auditorium at Saith Park.
Both have been training very seriously for the contest as the winner will get a mandatory shot at the world championship and the World Boxing Association Cabofe crown later this year. In a recent interview from her training camp at altitude in Venezuela, Fernandez, through Trinidad-based interpreter Petronilla Jiminez, gave some details of her intensive routine.
“After a work-out of 12 rounds, sparring with boxer Alexander Munoz, I did ten rounds of skipping, ten rounds of shadow boxing and ten rounds of beating the bag at my high altitude training camp,” said the 36-year-old Fernandez.
She accused Trinidad and Tobago promoter Boxu Potts of “spying” on her training at the camp’s secret location but she remains assured that the international matchmaker would be disappointed at what has been taking place.
“Everything I do in the gym is positive. I am in the best condition I have ever been in my life. I have taken this fight very seriously because in the world of boxing it’s not often a fighter gets the chance to fight for a world title,” Fernandez said. The tough-talking Fernandez then issued a open challenge to Ramnarine and promoter Potts saying she is willing to bet her purse of US$4,000 on her winning by a decisive margin.
“I am betting my purse against Ria, two to one that I will knock her out, one to one if the fight goes the distance.
I am betting all of it in the fight, let me see how good Ria and Mr Potts are. Put your money where your mouth is,” Fernandez said.
The Venezuelan who has won ten of her 13 bouts with seven knock outs with just three defeats, claimed that she has completed her rigorous training for the July 31 bout.
She said that from now onwards she will be concentrating on light sparring and running and is confident that she will be ready to claim victory against Ramnarine when the ball sounds on July 31 in Chaguanas.
Fernandez made an appeal to all Venezuelans living or working in Trinidad and Tobago to turn up on fight night and lend their support and promises not to disappoint her passionate countryfolk. The latest salvo fired by the Venezuelan has not elicited the expected emotional response from Ramnarine who continues her preparation under long-time trainer/manager Barath Ramoutar at the Fine Line Gym in Montrose, Chaguanas. At a media conference in midweek, Ramnarine said she is unimpressed with Fernandez’s trash-talk and predicted that the title-fight could produce some “fireworks”.
Ramnarine said she is confident of sending Fernandez back home a loser as she possesses more experience in the ring having already clinched a world title before giving it up for personal reasons.
However Ramnarine has been lured back into the game by promoter Potts and made an auspicious comeback in March with a Technical Knock-Out victory in the eight round against Nancy Bonilla at the Jean Pierre Complex in Mucurapo.
After a three-year hiatus, Ramnarine sent a strong signal that she was back to her best and ready to claim her place once against as one of the best boxers in the world in the light flyweight division.
One of her main problems has been the lack of sparring partners as there are no suitable females to match her in the ring so she has been forced to resort to male boxers who are much heavier than her. But Ramnarine (11 wins-5 losses) has turned this challenge into a positive and thinks that the tougher training will stand her in good stead when she faces Fernandez with the world title on the line.
