T&T’s Olympic-bound boxer Nigel Paul will enter the ring on Saturday at the World Series of Boxing in Mexico where he will take on Mexican Frazer Clarke in the Super heavyweight clash.
The encounter, Paul’s 12th career fight to date, will be five rounds and if he wins he will earn an opportunity to represent the Lionheart Boxing Franchise of Mexico for a second time in Cuba on April 23. The Series involves boxing franchises from the United States, England, Mexico and Morocco. Paul was snapped up by the Mexican franchise following a series of good performances last year at the Word Boxing Qualifiers in Venezuela.
The 27 year old of Chaguanas did not qualify for the World Championship in Baku Azerbaijan but he got a late call to compete, as a replacement for another boxer. However he rose to fame by claiming silver medal at the Olympic Boxing Qualifiers of the Americas earlier this month in Argentina.
Saturday’s card will be part preparation for Paul. He has four months before he faces a realistic chance of winning T&T’s first ever boxing medal at an Olympics. Yesterday coach Floyd Trumpet said a programme for his fighter ahead of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil has been completed and will be submitted this week. It carries a budget of $150, 000 and covers the period until June.
Trumpet said he is in search of sparring fighters to properly help Paul for the Olympics, saying he will most likely have to go to Europe. From the budget Paul and his team will travel to Cuba where monies will be used to cover airfare and accommodation, meals, use of gym and payment to sparr against fighters. The coach, a former professional boxer, also said he has not been paid since July 2013.