WBC number two ranked Vincenzo Cantatore and his camp are pushing him around like a featherweight. Guyanese can’t help but feel a sense of anger every time we hear of a new date for Braithwaite’s rematch with the now `arrogant’ Italian.

It has become too much for even the broad shoulders of Braithwaite to bear. Let us just roll back the tape to one year ago when Braithwaite, then the top ranked cruiserweight, was scheduled to fight Cantatore for the vacant title.

There were at least four postponements to that fight which was to be staged in Italy. The Cantatore camp used every excuse in the book to earn a postponement, from his claim of having sciatica to declaring that his mother had `Big Foot’.

What did Braithwaite and his side do? Lay back and take it with eyes wide open like real passive Guyanese.

Reports have it that they didn’t even receive a copy of the medical which would have proven the claim of sciatica. All this and the Braithwaite camp didn’t even raise a finger.

Now we see a similar trend with the possible intention of catching the champion off guard. And Cantatore isn’t even supposed to have a rematch with the champion.

At an annual convention last December the WBC surprisingly mandated a rematch although O’Nell Bell is the number one ranked fighter in that division. The WBC claimed that the first fight between Braithwaite and Cantatore ended atypically. Well, Well!

So this time we can expect an even grander “Royal-Run-Around”. They did it the first time and got away with it, didn’t they? There should be even more fun this time around.

So boxing buffs are now wondering whether Braithwaite is really a `Big Truck’ or just a ‘Toy Car’. The ease with which he is being pushed around forces one to go with the latter.

Postponements galore

The rematch was supposed to be staged at the end of July. Then it was pushed back to July 19th, and now we hear it will be August 4. Le’ts hope it’s held before next Independence Day. Why is our champ so condescending? The action of Braithwaite and camp begs the question - who is the champion anyway?

Then the champion adds to it by saying that he is not worried by the modus operandi of the Italians.

Oh so! We are worried and legitimately so. How can a professional athlete in any discipline keep on training effectively and be goal-oriented with shifting or undecided competition dates? We have waited long for coveted world titles to come our way and can’t afford to give them up easily.

We saw how the last minute shift of venue almostended Braithwaite’s hope of winning a world title when they first met.

Given no lead time to condition himself for a high altitude environment, he was out of breath in rounds eight and nine. Losing a title now would mean a long crawl back to the top.

Braithwaite’s manager or whoever is looking after his career should be thrown to the lions.

It’s an insult to be treated that way once. Twice is something else. It is time for ‘Big Truck’ to start revving his engine and stamp his authority like a true champion.