Boxing returns to Bird’s Isle
They call it the “sweet science” but in Belize the sport of boxing bears little resemblance to what we watch on HBO. Having reached a peak with the thrilling championship victory of Fitzroy Guisseppi in 1978, local fists are no longer flying and reputable promoters are as scarce as blue notes on the day before payday. But in Belize there is never a shortage of hope…as Jose Sanchez discovered.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
Bird’s Isle will be the ground for Belize’s first battle of the millenium, not against Guatemala but Mexico. Fourteen men will be meeting in a boxing exhibition organized by Channel 5’s very own sports guru, James Adderley.
James Adderley
“Horace Cadle has been rearing to go professional. He is one of the best talent we have in this country as far as boxing goes right now, and what a waste of a lifetime, what as waste of a talent, not to give him his shot at becoming a real professional.”
“This is our second attempt at staging this particular event, and we are in negotiations with a group from Chetumal, Mexico. Some seven fighters are coming, but more importantly they are bringing a hundred and forty pounder, Samuel Lemos, to match up with Horace Cadle and we can’t wait till it happens.”
“Of course we expect to see Horace Cadle come out of the blocks real fast and take command and really put this man away in a hurry.”
Leopold Smart, Trainer, Lightburn Gym
“The fight is kind of sudden for the people and for some of the fans. But we were practicing from mid December and the planning to have this fight, but things always don’t work out the way we want, so we try to push because we want to make a quick start with boxing this year.”
One of the quickest and able bodied for the challenge is Moses Sulph. He comes into the ring at five-nine and a half, one hundred and sixty-five pounds with seven wins and one loss. Sulph wreaked havoc in 1999 against his last opponent.
Moses Sulph, Boxer
“I plan to win and I plan to go out there and make Belize proud, so that all the people can see that Belize has good fighters, ambitious sports ambassadors. I’m just inviting all the people to come out and support us and they can see history in the making. They don’t have to wait until the fruit is ripe to pick it, they can see the tree from it’s young, growing.”
Jose Sanchez
“So what kind of action can people expect to see from you? What kind of damage will you do?”
Moses Sulph
“You can come and see what I’ve learned and you’ll be satisfied when you go home knowing that we did our best. We expect to defend our flag and our country and make our country proud.”
But the main attraction of the evening is Horace Cadle. He enters the ring with twenty wins, and four losses. Cadle punched his way out of the amateur ranks and turned pro four months ago and says he’s fit to make his professional debut this weekend.
Horace Cadle, Boxer
“I want the people to come out and support me. I will knock out the Mexican in the first round, so I just want my crowd to come out and cheer for me because I will knock him out with some vicious hand an thing.”
Leopold Smart, Boxer
“Horace Cadle is a very good fighter. He was a gold medallist in the Copa America Games and we went to Tampa Florida for the Olympic trials. We lost but we were very competitive, so I think it is time for him to move up. Because his professional start is new, if he waits any longer, I don’t think he’ll have a good future in boxing, so we really have to move up.”
Horace Cadle
“Well I have trained for fourteen to fifteen years. I travelled a little bit, not doing too good and not doing too bad either. But right now boxing is kind of slow in Belize. I would want people outside to support us and try to help us, an thing, because we are struggling, an thing, right now.”
That’s right fight-fans, boxing needs you. Without your support, this sport will be counted out on a TKO before the first bell. reporting for News 5, Jose Sanchez.
Fighting gets underway at 10:30 Sunday morning at Bird’s Isle.
