She felt much stronger

Boxing promoter Buxo Potts, from left, Faith Ramnath and her father Russell. - Jelani Beckles
Boxing promoter Buxo Potts, from left, Faith Ramnath and her father Russell. - Jelani Beckles

LOCAL junior women’s amatuer boxer Faith Ramnath is crying foul, saying she felt her opponent Jewel Lambert,who was born in TT but lives in the US, had a clear weight advantage when the two fought, at the National Boxing Championships, at the Jean Pierre Complex, in Mucurapo, on Friday night. Ramnath, along with her parents Russell and Angelique and boxing promoter Buxo Potts, held a press conference yesterday, at Alicia’s House, in St Anns to address their concerns on the matter.

The fight between Ramnath and Lambert was scheduled to be a bout for boxers between 48-51kg. Lambert was judged the winner of the fight 5-0 on points.

Ramnath said, “I just want(ed) to have a fair match and represent my country as much as possible and to make it proud as well.”

The seventeen-year-old flyweight boxer has some experience fighting in her weight class with a record of ten wins and three losses (including the loss to Lambert). During the fight, Ramnath said she felt Lambert was not in the weight class. “She was much stronger,” Ramnath said.

Potts also said Ramnath is a junior fighter and said it is unfair to allow her to fight against an elite fighter in Lambert. Ramnath will become an elite fighter in Janaury and according to Potts,the 24-year-old Lambert has been an elite fighter for a number of years.

Potts said the weigh in was done unlawfully. “The topic in question – it’s an illegal weigh in that took place between Faith Ramnath and Jewel Lambert, that is the American girl.”

Potts said, “One of the boxers weighed in in Sangre Grande on the same day, simultaneously Faith was weighing in in Marabella...that weigh in is an illegal weigh in. No person from Faith Ramnath’s team witnessed the weigh in of Jewel Lambert and vice versa and that is highly illegal. When a fight is taking place, the boxing board must ensure that the matches are evenly made as it is match-making. The weights are evenly done, fairly done and properly viewed by both teams.” Ramnath’s team wrote the TT Boxing Association (TTBA) stating their dissatisfaction with the weigh in process and said the TTBA said they will respond soon. Ramnath’s team then responded on Monday asking for a reply in 48 hours.

Potts said Ramnath felt she was at a disadvantage when she stepped into the ring against Lambert.

“She said she has fought a lot of fighters in her weight class and this girl felt much stronger and much heavier on the night of the fight which raised the question whether the girl was allowed to weigh in a few kilos heavier than Faith Ramnath.”

Potts said, “If it is an unconstitutional weigh in the fight must be aborted, the fight must be cancelled, the fight must be deemed null and void. Both boxers must be invited to a proper weigh in, in the full view of the boxing board, the Sports Company and the Ministry of Sports official with Faith Ramnath’s team present and Jewel Lambert’s team present. Then and only then it can be a properly constituted fight.”

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