Braithwaite’s title fight again postponed
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
June 28, 2002
Wayne ‘Big Truck’ Braithwaite’s romance with postponing fight dates continued this week with another new date being announced for his world title challenge.
Trainer Colin Morgan sighed while relating to Stabroek Sport that the new date for Braithwaite’s challenge for the vacant World Boxing Council cruiserweight title is July 25.
The fight is still scheduled for Rome, Italy where opponent Vincenzo Cantatore is from. According to Morgan the undefeated Braithwaite was notified on Tuesday of the new date by way of a faxed letter from the WBC.
The fight has been postponed at least three times within the last two months. June 1 was the confirmed date but Cantatore suddenly developed sciatica and the contest was pushed back to July 6th.
A new date of July 18 was then announced. Morgan disclosed that the series of postponements along with other things have taken its toll on Braithwaite.
"I think that people need to be more supportive of Wayne. At present he is stressed out," Morgan said while declining to elaborate.
"I’m stressed out at all that is going. I have given Wayne the rest of the week off and he will return to training on Monday," Morgan said.
Braithwaite is undefeated in 17 fights and is ranked within the top 10 by all the major world boxing organisations. The WBC has rated the Guyanese at number one. Both the WBA and IBF have him rated third while the WBO has ranked Braithwaite sixth.
Meanwhile, former WBA welterweight champion Andrew `Sixhead’ Lewis has confirmed that he will be travelling to Rome to give support to Braithwaite.