‘Big Truck' rolls over Canadian champion to take NABF cruiserweight title
By Michael DaSilva
Guyana's Wayne `Big Truck' Braithwaithe disposed of Canada's Dale Brown within nine rounds last Saturday night to take the North American Boxing Federation's (NABF) cruiserweight title at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, United States of America. With the win Braithwaithe also successfully defended his WBC International belt. According to Braithwaithe's manager, Boxo Putts, the Guyanese power-puncher completely out-boxed and out-punched Brown causing the referee to stop the contest midway in the ninth round. The fight, which was televised live on Showtime television, was an under-card to the Koysta Tszyu versus Ahmed Santos main bout. The main supporting bout featured Zab Judah against Jan Bergman. Putts said Braithwaithe was the star on show that night. "He won every round and even broke Brown's nose in the first round before battering his opponent leading up to the ninth round stoppage" Putts told Stabroek Sports by telephone. According to Putts, Braithwaithe is expected to fight in April on a card where world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis will be defending his title as the main bout. The name of Braithwaithe's opponent will be announced shortly. "We'll get the world title for Guyana," the elated Putts said. Putts said when Braithwaithe went back to his corner after the sixth round, he complained of feeling tired but went out and pulverised Brown's body. "We closed him off with a barrage of body shots" Putts said. Though he is overjoyed, Putts complained about the problems Braithwaithe had with the United States Embassy officials here in Guyana. "When we in the Caribbean are going to fight North American opponents in their country we are being hassled by the authorities and when the Americans travel overseas to fight, they are allowed an entourage of seven or eight persons". Putts said, adding "this is an unfair trading balance". According to Putts, an Australian had to be recruited to be in Braithwaithe's corner since the corner men he was taking were refused American visas by the embassy here. "I had to call up the promoter in the US to get him to find a cornerman for Braithwaithe and he got an Australian who subsequently had to get someone else," Putts said and added:"The second person (corner man) used to train Brown and he could have done anything to Braithwaithe's water or whatever." Braithwaithe was given his US visa at 2.45pm on Friday and had to travel immediately to Trinidad where he boarded a flight for the New York and arrived in Connecticut at 4am Saturday morning. He was allowed a late weigh-in (11am) and touched the scale at 187 pounds as against Brown's 190. Asked how it was that Braithwaithe defended his WBC International belt which he won in Australia, Putts said "that was the deal, he put his NABF title at stake and we put our's". Braithwaite will return home in another two weeks accompanied by his manager and will hold a press conference.
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