With his hand raised in victory and a championship belt wrapped around his waist, the countless postponements which preceded that fight (for nearly one year), became a blur to the 27-year-old Guyanese fighter. Braithwaite now imagined a future of new challenges and new opportunities.

However, at its annual convention last December in Tokyo, the WBC mandated a rematch with the 32 year old Cantatore (before O’Neill Bell’s mandatory challenge) because the sanctioning body felt the first fight ended “atypically.” Throughout the match, Cantatore would turn away from Braithwaite and look towards the referee for assistance. After being hit by a solid combination, Cantatore turned to the referee (as if to complain) and was nailed with a right hand which ended the fight (TKO10).

Braithwaite (19-0; 16 KO’s) was given six months to defend against Cantatore (28-3; 27 KO’s) and in the interim, took a fight against Ravea Springs in February (TKO4) before he was to face Cantatore on June 28th.

Soon after, that date was rescheduled for July 19th. Over the weekend, that date was again postponed (to accommodate an Italian television date) and rescheduled for August 4th.

While a venue has yet to be announced, Cantatore’s promoter Salvatore Cherchi of OPI 2000 won the right to stage the fight in Italy again by outbidding ($280,000) Braithwaite’s promoter, Vlad Wharton ($248,000).

Fightnews was at Gleason’s Gym in New York to speak to Braithwaite and his trainer, Colin Morgan. A very nonchalant Braithwaite states: “After all the delays for our last fight, I’ve become accustomed to it now. When I heard that I had to fight Cantatore again, I knew I would have problems getting him into the ring again. Cantatore doesn’t want to fight me. Its his promoter who is pushing it. They’re just prolonging the beating I’m going to give that boy. They think these delays are bothering me, but it only tells me they are scared.

“At this point, nothing bothers me. If I let these postponements bother me, it will cloud my mind and that’s exactly what they want. I see what they’re doing and it only makes me more stronger. They are scared of me. But, there is nothing I can do about it, so why worry?”

In their last outing, Braithwaite (then ranked #1) experienced a Pandora’s Box of deterrents and snafues upon arriving in Cantatore’s native land. A last minute venue change from Rome to Como caught Team Braithwaite by surprise when they found out that Como was located outside the Italian border and situated 3,000 feet above sea level within the Alps of Switzerland. Additionally, the fight was staged in front of a select dinner crowd of 500 people at Campione d’Italia casino.

While Cantatore (then ranked #2) stayed at the casino, Team Braithwaite was given lodging 90 miles away, with a round trip travel time of over four hours. Equipped only with Italian Visas, border problems were a daily occurrence as they entered Switzerland for press conferences, medicals, weigh-in, and ultimately fight night.

Then came the demands of which gloves were to be worn and who would enter the ring first. Further, Cantatore weighed in officially at 190, but came in at 220 by fight time. Braithwaite weighed 184 and came in at 188.

Upon Braithwaite winning the match, the raucous dinner crowd threw food, drinks, bottles and silverware into the ring. Sensing imminent danger, Braithwaite was escorted from the ring by four hulking African guards.

Of his return to Italy, Braithwaite adds “If they pull the shit they pulled the last time with me, I’m going to react! They’re gonna wish they never brought me back to Italy.”

Regarding his game plan against the Italian: “The only thing that will be different about this fight, is that it will end faster. I won’t be playing around like I did the last time. I’m going to treat Cantatore exactly like he is suppose to be treated - I’m going to beat him like a rented mule!

Braithwaite concludes “Something funny is going on here. I don’t know of any other champion who has gone through what I have gone through to get this title and keep it.” Always a practical jokester, Braithwaite was seen playfully teasing, chasing and jabbing at a female friend; prompting her to giggle, retreat and seek protection from the champ. Braithwaite quipped “This is a part of my training for Cantatore.”

Braithwaite’s trainer, Colin Morgan sounds off:

“Wayne isn’t bothered by these postponements, but it’s pissing me off! Everyone is playing games. Wayne is the champion and they’re treating him like shit! I don’t understand why the WBC allows this to happen, especially since they are the ones who mandated this fight!

“When you are a champion, you have six months to defend against the mandatory. Wayne beat Cantatore. Cantatore LOST! But, the WBC put him back in to be Wayne’s mandatory.

The six months were up in June and that was when the fight was suppose to be. Then, they moved it to July. Now, it’s going to be in August! I just don’t understand why the WBC is allowing these postponements to happen - especially after knowing that Cantatore pulled the same shit the last time... for nearly one year! Now, the same pattern is developing for this fight! The way things are going now, it looks like the fight won’t happen until next year!

“There have been no legitimate excuses to postpone this fight. This time it’s over a television date. AND, they don’t even have a venue yet! So, that is probably going to be their next excuse!

“The WBC needs to step in and give Cantatore an ultimatum. They need to tell Cantatore that he either fights on August 4th or they will get another opponent for Wayne.

“Because the WBC is not intervening, it makes it look like Cantatore’s people OWN the WBC! What we need is a boxing commission to straighten out stuff like this.

“Wayne is the champion. He is not the challenger! There is no way that a champion should be treated like this. Wayne should be respected. If it were Wayne who was the one postponing the fight, they would have stripped him already!

“This whole situation is holding everyone back within the cruiserweight division. Wayne needs to get some big fights like Jirov and those guys. He can’t fight once a year and wait around for a guy like Cantatore. Who the hell is Cantatore anyway?! Who did he fight to get where he is? Let’s get this fight over with! Put the guy in the ring, let him get his ass kicked and lets move on!”

(Fightnews)