By James Blears
The smiles are wearing thin, the gloves are off, claws out, and the jaws are working overtime, in the build up to Mexico’s first fight where a woman will top the bill.
WBC Woman Super Flyweight Champion Ana Maria Torres, defends her title Saturday night, against rugged Thai challenger Ussanakorn Kokietgym. The fight will take place at the Banamex Center in Mexico City and on the undercard, Nicaragua’s WBC Strawweight Interim Champion Juan Palacios will fight Mexico’s fourteenth ranked Erik Ramirez.
At their final meeting at Hotel Ramada in Mexico City, before their showdown, the ladies swopped verbal barbs behind brief handshakes and ghosts of plastered on smiles.
Ussanakorn started the verbal tussle by saying she’s more than ready to swop leather, after sparring 420 rounds and whatever round it is, she’ll knock down and KO Ana Maria. Her camp also brought up the subject of the famous 1970 fight when countryman Chartchai Chionoi defeated another Torres- namely Efren “Alacran” Torres, for the Flyweight title.
Unfazed and unruffled, but clearly nettled Ana Maria retorted: “In Mexico, we’re the best fighters, and I’m going to talk with my fists on Saturday night. I’m motivated, well prepared and ready. Be assured, the championship will stay here with me and my people!”
Scribbling press who are planning to attend the function, will need to take along telescopes and binoculars. While the photographer (snappers) will be ringside, the rest will languish, situated a mere North Korean medium range missile throw, way back in the fourteenth and fifteenth rows.
