Braithwaite calls for end to crime spree
- will not return until situation is back to normal
By Orin Davidson in New York Stabroek News
October 16, 2002
Guyana’s latest sports hero Wayne Braithwaite is calling for an end to the crime outrage in his country before venturing back home to celebrate winning Guyana’s second world boxing title.
The new World Boxing Council (WBC) cruiserweight boxing champion told Stabroek Sports he is very concerned with the spate of violent crime ravaging the country and insisted that he will not return home with his prized belt unless the situation returns to normal.
“I want this thing to end, it is very disturbing and I will not come home to endanger myself. I have a career to continue and I will not want to get myself harmed coming back now,” the Brooklyn, New York resident said shortly after his arrival from Italy where he defeated Vincenzo Cantatore for the vacant title.
Braithwaite became the second Guyanese fighting for his country to win any of the three recognised titles put up by the WBC, World Boxing Association (WBA) or the International Boxing Federation (IBF). And, should he maintain his position, it would be going against the normal trend of overseas-based fighters returning home to celebrate noted victories.
Andrew `Sixhead’ Lewis, the first Guyanese world titlist returned home to a tumultuous week of celebrations last year after defeating American James Page for the WBA welterweight crown.
Braithwaite is from Plaisiance village on the East Coast Demerara, one of the affected areas in the crime wave.
He is now the most celebrated sports personality from the village and urges all to “lift your heads and enjoy the victory,” which he dedicates to all Guyanese.
“I made a promise to you all to win this title and I want everyone to enjoy it,” said Braithwaite.
The 27-year-old pugilist, was met on his arrival Sunday night in New York at JFK airport by a welcoming group which included among others, two-time world title challenger and ex Common-wealth champion Patrick Ford, Consul General Brentnol Evans, prominent lawyer Colin Moore and trainer/promoter Herman Harris.
Braithwaite forced the referee to stop the scheduled 12-round contest in the 10th round after Cantatore was left defenseless on the ropes from a barrage of punches.
The victory was his 18th unbeaten bout and one of his toughest. As a result, he will be taking a much needed rest before getting back into the gym.
“I am not thinking about anything right now. I want to rest for about a month and then start listening to offers after that,” the new champion stated, when queried on his future plans.
He said apart from facing a very good fighter in Cantatore, he had to overcome many obstacles normally associated with fighters going abroad to challenge an opponent in his hometown.
Braithwaite said his camp was unaware they had to fight at high altitude because the venue was changed unknown to them to a venue across the Italian border in Switzerland. As a result, he did not prepare to acclimatise to the thin air there.
He said he took the ring at a severe weight disadvantage as Cantatore weighed around 220 pounds to his 188, on fight night. The cruiserweight limit is 190 pounds and after tipping the scales within the limit, Cantatore bulked up in the two days afterwards, Braithwaite explained.
He, however, did not find a problem with the refereeing which seemed to favour the home fighter early in the fight. On many occasions, Cantatore influenced the Mexican official to intervene when on the receiving end from Braithwaite’s attacks.
Nevertheless, the Guyanese said:” I think he did a good job, I had no problem with him.”
But the fighter did have a problem with the crowd which rained the ring with missiles in disappointment after Cantatore was stopped. “They acted like a bunch of idiots and did not behave like good sportsmen,” he said. Police protection was needed for him and his entourage to leave the ring. The new champion added that he was proud of his cornermen which he said was the first all Guyanese team to win a world title. The team of trainers Colin Morgan and Maurice `Bizzy’ Boyce along with Government minister Jennifer Westford were the only other Guyanese in the arena, Braithwaite disclosed.
“But I am accustomed to fighting and winning outside. Eversince I went to Australia, I know how to win outside of Guyana,” boasted the champion who won two of his early pro fights Down Under.
Also present for the bout in Europe was Trinidadian Buxo Potts who managed Braithwaite previously.
The new champ who said he had hoped to hear from President Bharrat Jagdeo before the fight, disclosed that the Head of State personally congratulated him via telephone afterwards.