Cantatore, a joker
- Big truck Braithwaite
by Orin Davidson in New York
Stabroek News
July 19, 2002
Guyana's world number one ranked cruiserweight boxer Wayne 'Big Truck' Braithwaite feels his title opponent Italian Vincente Cantatore is playing games and trying to mess with his head in a continuing bizarre twist to their planned World Boxing Council (WBC) contest for the vacant crown.
The fight scheduled for July 25, was thought to be postponed, but Cantatore subsequently held a press conference from his home in Italy where the fight is scheduled to be held and reportedly stated that the fight is definitely on.
However, Braithwaite told Stabroek News from his Brooklyn home yesterday that he knows nothing of the bout still being on and labeled the Italian Cantatore a joker who only is trying to play games.
"The WBC president (Jose Sulieman) told us directly that the fight is off, so I don't know what he is talking about."
The bout has suffered three official delays due to various problems encountered by the Italian, and is now set for a date in September, but the 25-year-old Guyanese is beginning to get angry. " This is beginning to get to me, it is very frustrating and I don't know when Cantatore and the promoter are going to get serious," Braithwaite fumed. "I have been training since the beginning of the year for this fight and did more than 300 rounds (sparring) and still they cannot get this thing going."
It has resulted in the heavy hitting Plaisance resident deciding to take one week off his training to relax and take the frustrations off his mind.
"I am trying to hold up, everybody is frustrated," he added.
Braithwaite earned the right for the title crack and the number one ranking by knocking out Luis Azille of the Dominican Republic in three rounds on the undercard of the Lennox Lewis /Hasim Rahman heavyweight title clash in November.
Since then Juan Carlos Gomez, the champion at the time relinquished the belt and the WBC ordered Braithwaite and Cantatore to fight for the vacant title.
But the Italian first ducked the Guyanese in February, claiming illness, then again in early June. Braithwaite explained that he was told the next date was July 5, then July 18 and 25, now in September.
He said he is not sure if Cantatore was responsible for the string of changes this month, but he is now resigned to waiting for another date.
Braithwaite has won all 17 of his fights with 14 via knockouts while Cantatore is 22-2.