On September 27, 2009, a packed Cliff Anderson Sports Hall saw Shondel ‘Mystery Lady’ Alfred becoming Guyana’s eight world champion when she stopped Corrine De Groot for the Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) bantamweight title.
Alfred won the fight by unanimous decision and improved her ring record to 11 wins from 16 fights.
But what she didn’t cater for was the drama which unfolded afterwards as De Groot, who had lost her first fight in 12 professional outings, launched a protest to the WIBA on the grounds that the fight was unfairly awarded and the officiating judges biased.
De Groot and her team had argued that Alfred was sent four times to the canvas and that at least on two of those occasions she was legitimately knocked down but referee Eion Jardine called them ‘slips.’
President and founder of the WIBA Ryan Wissow last year told Stabroek Sport that he had ordered a rematch 120 days from September 28 but a definite date has not been set.
In an invited comment Wissow told this newspaper that they were …“trying to make this fight in February possibly on the Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis/Raul Frank undercard and if that does not materialize, I have Carwyn Holland ready and willing to promote this rematch on April 24.”
Contacted yesterday, Alfred told Stabroek Sport that nothing much has been said to her about the rematch adding that she remains willing and ready to fight De Groot.
“Well, first they said that they wanted the fight to happen like late December early January but I told them that it would be around the holidays and I want to spend it with my family. I was not prepared to go to gym. I told them any time like around month-end which would be the exact time like they said, 120 days,” Alfred said.
The WIBA bantamweight champion added: “Look I want to make it clear that Corrine is not anybody. I know I won that fight fair and everyone saw that. I want her to know that I am not afraid of her and I am not backing down from this fight again. I don’t know who she think she is, because everything has to be done on her terms so I want to know who is the champion really?
“She calling all the shots and these people just going with her, but I am not worried, because I know I would beat her again.
“I’ll be honest with you, since I got this belt, it’s like my life is just plenty stress. Everyday the boxing board people calling me about this rematch with Corrine so I want to know who they really representing.
“They telling me that if I don’t give her this rematch within a certain time, they would strip me of the belt,” she disclosed.
“I don’t know if they want to give people the impression that I don’t want to fight this girl again. I told you and plenty others before that I have no problem in fighting her again, because I will say it bold that she can’t beat me.
“I’ll tell you this, even though I get this belt, the feeling of pride and satisfaction is not even there because look, I haven’t even seen the Minister of Sport at least.
“Neither has anyone said `well Shondel, great job’ or anything but I know what I did and I know how hard I fought to get it,” Alfred stated.
