Isidore looking at ‘last 10 metres’ of career

TOP TT boxer Prince-Lee Isidore is looking at the final stages of his career, as he prepares to get back in shape in January.

The 34-year-old was expected to fight Mexico’s Emmanuel Herrera in a lightweight bout this year, but twice the fight was postponed.

The original date for the bout was June 29 but Herrera suffered an injured hand, during a training session.

The fight was rescheduled to September 28, but it was cancelled due to a lack of funds, and Herrera’s inability to enter TT due to passport issues.

During a telephone interview on Monday, Isidore admitted he is seeking to make the most of whatever opportunities come his way, before he hangs up his gloves.

“At the stage where I am, (it) is probably the last ten metres of the race,” said Isidore, who has a record of 17 wins, three defeats and a draw, from 21 professional fights.

“I’m not planning to fight till I reach 40 unless the money is very good. I just want to make it to the finish (line).”

Isidore continued, “At least when you end something, you want to give it your best, regardless of the opposition or the hurdles that you have to face.

“That’s my mindset. It’s just getting back up to scratch.

“I haven’t really stopped training. From January, all my free time will be getting myself back up to (full) fitness. At least, till the end of January, I should be back up to top fitness.”

Isidore’s last fight took place on February 9, where he defeated Venezuela’s Antoni Armas, by a unanimous decision, at the Woodbrook Youth Facility, for the vacant World Boxing Foundation international lightweight belt.

According to Isidore, since the postponed bouts against Herrera, “Nothing has been taking place.

Training has slowed down for the past few weeks, in the sense that we had some of our younger ones in the amateur ranks who (were) preparing for the Caribbean Championships.

“A lot of focus was on them,” he added. “I just tapered off for the rest of the year and try to pick back up in the first week (of January).”

Isidore said, “I don’t know when is the next fight but I know, from my manager’s (Bharath Ramoutar) perspective, is just to take it easy for this Christmas season. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually had to not fight on a Christmas season.

“Probably the past three (or) four years, during the Christmas season, I’ve always had a fight.

“We were expecting that (the) fight would have come off on the 29th or 30th of this month but I still haven’t gotten any positive word in terms of that coming to fruition. With the time drawing closer and no positive feedback, we would just let the year finish off.

“During that time my manager will get back in talks with the promoter, and they will take it from there.”