'Big Truck' peeved
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
January 27, 2004
World Boxing Council cruiserweight champion Wayne `Big Truck' Braithwaite is peeved that the Guyana Boxing Board of Control has overlooked him when making its nomination for Sports Man of the Year Award.
In an exclusive with Stabroek Sport Braithwaite opined that he had done enough to gain the board's nod in front of compatriot Howard Eastman, who the board nominated for the 2003 award.
Speaking from his Brooklyn, New York home, Braithwaite said he was misled by board president K.D. Persaud who told him in December that he would have been nominated for the award. Braithwaite successfully defended his world title twice during last year becoming the first Guyanese to do so. However, the GBBC wrote to the National Sports Commission, which runs the award, naming middleweight Eastman, also known as `The Battersea Bomber', as its choice.
Eastman, the Commonwealth European and British middleweight defended his titles at least three times during the past year.
"I have no hard feelings towards Howard Eastman, but it's just how the boxing board does its thing. I feel disappointed that the GBBC told me one thing and did something else," the world champion said.
"I understand that Eastman has defended his European titles a couple of times but you cannot compare a European title with a world title. Anyone would know that a world title should be given more respect."
Braithwaite, who won 2002 Sports Man of the Year award, complained that GBBC also overlooked him last year and went for junior welterweight `Vicious' Vivian Harris.
"It was the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association that nominated me," the undefeated Braithwaite said while querying whether Eastman was representing Guyana when he defended the European titles.
In defence, GBBC secretary Trevor Arno said the board was dealing with fact and giving credit where it is due. "We don't have any hard feelings for Braithwaite or his camp. We have never overlooked Braithwaite what we have done is give credit where it is due."
The secretary said Eastman defended his titles three times and even though European titles were less known than world titles, they are still well respected. "Coupled with that is the fact that Eastman was more active. While Braithwaite fought twice Eastman had four fights for last year."
Arno confirmed that Persaud had indeed told Braithwaite he would have been nominated but reasoned that the president was only one member of the board. "The board has 12 members. At our meeting Eastman's name was brought up and it went to a vote and he was subsequently nominated."
Arno said Eastman had remigrated to Guyana, married a Guyanese and built a house in Berbice.
"Eastman only leaves Guyana to fight. He trains here and lives here. For anyone who is questioning Mr Eastman's patriotism, I would ask who shows more patriotism the person who fights out of Guyana or the one who fights out of the USA," Arno asked.
Touching on the board's reason to select Harris for the last award, Arno said the WBA junior welterweight champion was nominated since he was the more active of the two who won world titles in 2002.
"Braithwaite only had one fight for that year and that was when he defeated Vivcenzo Cantatore for the WBC title. Harris on the other hand had three fights. He defeated Michael Clarke to win the IBA Intercontinental title, defended it once against Ubaldo Hernandez, then won the WBA and IBA senior title when he defeated Diobelys Hurtado. It is plain to see why we selected Harris," the GBBC secretary explained.
The National Sports Commission will select Sportsman and woman of the year on Friday. Braithwaite has been nominated for the award by the Guyana Rugby Football Union, Guyana Netball Association, Guyana Amateur Boxing Association, Guyana Taekwondo Association and the Guyana Volleyball Association.