Braithwaite frustrated at not getting title crack
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
June 2, 2002
World Boxing Council number one ranked crusierweight Guyanese Wayne `Big Truck' Braithwaite has expressed frustration in gaining a world title crack.
In a letter to this newspaper the 26-year-old Braithwaite claimed that he is being dodged by most fighters in the top 10 and is being denied a chance to show that he is the best in his division.
"People have been saying that the cruiserweight division needs a star and here I am being denied a chance to light up the division," Braithwaite's letter read.
"Back in 2000 I was supposed to fight Marcelo Dominguez in an elimination bout for the WBC number one spot and a chance to fight Juan Carlos Gomez for the title.Rather than face me, Dominguez vacated his spot to fight Johnny Nelson for the WBO title. Then I was told that I had to fight Louis Azille in another elimination. I stopped Azille in three rounds in November 2001," Braithwaite said.
The hard-punching fighter added that the frustration continued. " While I was waiting for a chance to challenge for the title, Gomez couldn't decide whether he was a cruiserweight or a heavyweight. While he was making up his mind I couldn't take any other fight or else I would have lost my mandatory position," Braithwaite added.
"Rather than face me Gomez gave up the title. I was then told that I would fight Vincenzo Cantatore for the title on June 1. On May 15 I read on Fight news.com that the bout Cantatore had sciatica and the bout was off. Cantatore had turned Chicken Cantatore. I think that I should be awarded the WBC title since I won the elimination bout and the title was then vacated," the Plaisance native pointed out.
Braithwaite promised that once he gets the title he would go about "cleaning up" the division.
"The cruiserweight division will get the star it needs and then I'll clean up this division, the light heavyweight division and even the heavyweight division if I have to. I'm ready willing and able to fight any cruiserweight out there - any place any time, " Braithwaite declared.
The undefeated Braithwaite was scheduled to fight Italian Vincenzo Cantore for the vacant WBC on June 1 but the fight was later postponed after Cantore claimed to be suffering from sciatica (inflammation of the sciatic nerve) approximately three weeks before the fight.
Braithwaite's trainer Colin Morgan claimed that something "fishy" seem to be afoot since up to yesterday he had received no medical report to which would have given proof that the number three ranked Cantatore had indeed suffered the injury.
Morgan said that what he had received was two potential dates for the fight which was faxed to him by Cantatore's promoter. " The message stated that the fight will either be held on July 4 on 11," Morgan said.
"Wayne is still in the gym but I guess that he is a little frustrated by all of the postponements. Our training has not been as intense since Wayne has been preparing since February. I think that something fishy is going on. They are trying to catch us off guard. I'll be calling Cantatore's management tomorrow (today) to try and get to the bottom of all this," Morgan said.
Braithwaite has not been defeated in 17 bouts with 15 victories coming inside the distance.