“I am so very happy that I am going home at last”, he said, adding, “I just cannot wait any longer. I am so excited about my trip to my country Guyana.”

He added, “I made an oath to my friends that I would not be returning home without a world title,” he stated calmly.

‘Big Truck’ is scheduled to arrive home tomorrow. He has free airline tickets on North American Airlines, compliments of Spotlight Television station in New York.

Like all other overseas-based Guyanese, though he is concerned with what is happening in his country, he is not scared to go home. He is looking forward to going home and spending time with his close friends and family.

Asked if he is anticipating a red carpet welcome, the very soft-spoken gentleman humbly replied that whatever the Guyana Government plans to do, he would be fine with it.

‘Big Truck’ Braithwaite copped the country’s second world boxing title when he knocked out his Mexican opponent, Vincenzo Cantatore, in the 10th round of the 12-round match held on October 11.

Trying to recap those precious moments soon after he was crowned the new WBC champ, the Guyanese boxer said, “The feeling was too great. I fulfilled my lifelong dream of becoming a world boxing champion.”

Shaking his head as if still trying to swallow the ecstasy of his title win, the new champ said, “Boxing is not an easy sport. It involves lots of ups and downs. It is sort of bitter-sweet.”

It calls for dedication, hard work, resilience, focus, discipline and willpower as strong as iron and indeed, many long hours in the gym, “doing sparring matches with his buddies”.

Sporting two diamond-like studs on each ear, Braithwaite now has an impressive record of 18-0, with 15 KOs. He now has four title belts to his collection.

He won the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) belt in 2000 at Connecticut here in the U.S.; the World Boxing Council (WBC) International belt that he won in 1999 in Australia; and the World Boxing Board title he won in 1999 in Australia as well. And he has now added his recent collection of the WBC Cruiserweight crown.

The much-anticipated title bout match between Braithwaite and Cantatore was rescheduled from Rome in Italy to Como - quite a small town, located on the Italian borders, running into the Alps of Switzerland.

The Braithwaite-Cantatore title bout took place in an altitude of over 3 000 feet above sea level at the cozy Campione d’Italia casino in Como.

Guyana’s ranking in the world-boxing arena was catapulted to the very top of the ladder with the Braithwaite WBC title win last month.

Eight days later, the country enjoyed her third title win when another of her sons, Vivian Harris, won a TKO over his opponent, Cuban Diosbelys Hurtado, in round two of his title fight in Texas. He is the holder of the World Boxing Association (WBA) Junior Welterweight Crown.

Guyana’s first breakthrough at a world boxing title happened when Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis won the WBA Welterweight crown in 2001. However, about a year later, ‘Six Head’ lost his WBA title to his opponent during a defence fight.

‘Big Truck’ was not the underdog, as he quickly pointed out, “I know I was not the underdog because from the computer ratings just before the fight, I was rated 71% as the crowd’s favourite.”

The crowd of about 500 persons who were mostly Italians were invited guests, “if you don’t have an invitation, you couldn’t come to see the fight,” related the boxer.

The only persons present at the Campione d’Italia casino to cheer the Guyanese boxer were his 5-man team and the lone Government of Guyana representative, Dr Jennifer Westford. He did make some Italian friends who were on his side, though.

However, the Guyanese boxer has developed the “habit of beating up other boxers in their own countries”, so this fight was no different from the others in that sense.

The twenty-seven-year-old Braithwaite, who ranked number one against his opponent, went in the title fight with many odds stocked against him.

For one thing, since Cantatore’s camp was promoting the title fight, “they were the ones calling the shots,” recounted the Guyanese boxer. And Cantatore and friends did not inform the Guyanese camp of the many changes they were making during the training and later.

The Braithwaite camp was unaware that the title bout was rescheduled to the Campione d’Italia in Como at an altitude of 3 000 feet above sea level.

The Braithwaite team included Guyanese trainer Colin Morgan and assistant trainer Maurice Boyce. The two Australians, Ron Nash and Vale Warton, are his promoters.

The Braithwaite team did not know that they were actually fighting in Switzerland and therefore, team members would need that country’s visitor visas. They had Italian visas because they were under the impression that the fight was scheduled to take place in Rome.

It was the first time a Guyanese boxer chose his countrymen as his trainer and assistant trainer for a world title bout. It was a history-making moment, he recalled, a very proud moment for Guyana and all Guyanese.

“The treatment wasn’t too bad. But after the fight when I won, people started behaving crazy. They behaved like idiots. They throw everything they were eating on the stage,” he recalled.

When asked if he had any doubts about winning the fight, considering his opponent’s outstanding record of 27-3 with 26 KOs, Braithwaite responded in the negative.

“Cantatore never really fought anybody of real boxing skills.”

On a more serious note, the Guyanese boxer said, “I was confident from the beginning that I would beat Cantatore. I never entertain any doubts whatsoever that I would not beat him.”

Describing himself as an all-round boxer, ‘Big Truck’ revealed that he is trained to fight both in the southpaw and orthodox styles. His strength lies in his ability to carry punches with both his left and right hands.

The altitude affected his performance that night. The Guyanese boxer was unaware of this critical situation and was not prepared for it. But, he triumphed over all odds nonetheless.

“I trained on ground level. If I had trained at that height, I would have knocked him out earlier than the 5th round I had promised,” stated Braithwaite.

Cantatore, though “a good fighter, never had the edge over me. I was the better boxer and the better fighter. I have more boxing skills than he, so he never had any edge over me.”

While his camp took a total of 4 hours of commuting per day to his gym, Cantatore and company, on the other hand, were enjoying life at the Campione d’Italia casino itself. And to top it all, the Guyanese team had to constantly stop for traffic inspection because none of them had Switzerland visas in their passports.

Guyanese athletes and other sporting personalities are ambassadors for the country wherever they go. These dedicated men and women represent Guyana in different disciplines around the world, hence, they need to travel hassle-free.

One step closer to this dream would be the “issuance of diplomatic passports” to them by the Government of Guyana as a token gift for all their years of hard work and dedication.

According to Braithwaite, “I think I deserve a diplomatic passport. I put Guyana right on the world map again. I am the ideal person to give such a passport because I worked really hard to be where I am today.”

He added that he is an ambassador for Guyana and therefore, he deserves a diplomatic passport.

A deep patriot at heart, Braithwaite said, “For my last two fights, I have someone designing my boxing trunks, using the colours of the Guyana Flag so that I could promote my country. I could have worn any colour I wanted, but no, I chose the colours of my country’s flag. I am proud to be a Guyanese.”

”I know my whole country is backing me and when I wear my Guyana Flag trunks, I am wearing it to make a statement, and that is I am proud to be a Guyanese,” he asserted.

‘Big Truck’, who hails from Plaisance on the East Coast of Demerara said matter-of-factly, “Boxing is my life. First, it was fun, now it is time to make some money.”

His mother, Claire Small, recalled that the 2-year-old chubby boy’s godfather, James Durant, had a punching bag at his house.

“When I took Wayne to visit, he would tell him to punch the bag.” There began the very early indoctrination of boxing into the little Wayne’s mind.

“We have a family history of boxing,” recounted his mother, adding, “My father, Harry Braithwaite was an amateur boxer.”

At age 17, Braithwaite began taking his boxing more seriously. He frequented the Gardens Gym.

In 1997, he started his professional boxing career. He won the Guyana’s Light Heavyweight crown from Wayne Harris, Vivian Harris’s brother.

How did he get the nickname ‘Big Truck’?

‘Big Truck’ was given to me when I knocked out John Douglas at the Sports Hall. One reporter asked John what it felt like and he said that it felt like he got hit by a big truck.” And he likes his nickname very much, since “it is a good one”.

He is the same person, he said, though the world title came with more responsibilities, “I haven’t change much.”

“I was always a calm, responsible person, I was never the boasting type. But I am glad that the world now knows me as a boxer.”

The Braithwaite-Cantatore title bout fight was broadcast on ESPN2, hence, many New York-based Guyanese looked at the fight. Many Guyanese in Guyana also took a viewed the bout on their local TV sets.

“I want to become the undisputed champion for the cruiserweight; I need two more belts before I become the undisputed champ. I need the titles for the IBF and the WBA in the cruiserweight division,” he disclosed.

And he is not giving up his belt that easily.

“I worked too hard for it. First I was the hunter, now I am being hunted.” For a boxer, he sounded quite poetic.

“People will be after the belt now, but it would not be a walk in the park for them, I guarantee that,” he silently warned his future opponents.

“Cantatore is a good fighter, but he complained too much. I was not sure why he was complaining, if he was scare of me or what.”

“In the 9th round of the fight, he hit me a hard shot, somewhere on my forehead. I felt that blow. I had to hold him at bay until I regained all my strength. I think that that was the hardest punch I took in my boxing experience.”

He continued, “It was the first time I ever got hurt in a fight. I had never passed the 8th round in a fight before; it was the first time. It was a good learning experience for me as well.”

Braithwaite categorically stated that his previous manager, Boxu Potts, is not longer associated with him or is he authorised to do any business whatsoever on his behalf. His contract was over on the 17th of June, 2002.”

The Guyanese boxer would like to thank “God, for without God, I would not have done it”.

He would like to thank his family for all the support and encouragement they offered him over the years.

His mother, Claire, step-dad Borris Small, two brothers, Sherwin and Quincy, his grandmother, Paulette Braithwaite and others came in for high praise.

For now, the Guyanese champ wants to go home and have a good time with his childhood friends.

Braithwathe and Vivian Harris will be presented with plaques today at a presentation ceremony sponsored by the Guyana Consulate in New York, The Arya Spiritual Centre and the Guyana Tri-State Alliance Organisation.