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Shondell ‘Mystery Lady’ Alfred is back
Commences preparation for aborted Super/Flyweight championship fight
By Michael Benjamin
In late November 2012, Shondell ‘Mystery Lady’ Alfred traveled to Mexico to engage Mexican, Zulina Muñoz at Foro Polanco, Mexico City, Mexico, in a 12 rounds bout for the World Boxing Council (WBC) female Super/flyweight championship belt.
Unfortunately, destiny intervened, forcing a cancellation of the bout after medical practitioners, performing checks hours before the bout, discovered that the ‘Mystery Lady’ was more than two weeks pregnant.
Alfred pounds away at the heavy bag during training sessions Monday afternoon last.
Unable to hide her frustration and disappointment, Alfred returned to Guyana and hosted a press conference where she apologized to her supporters while promising to be back just as soon as was medically possible. Since then, Alfred has given birth to Aniya, a 7 ½ lbs baby girl at the Maternity ward of the Public Hospital Georgetown and now seven months later she is set to resume her boxing career.
Kaieteur Sport caught up with Alfred at the Forgotten Youth Foundation, Albouystown, as she honed her skill on the heavy punching bag, Monday afternoon last and she said that she has resumed training approximately one week ago and already is anxious to reenter the ring to trade punches.
When Alfred had returned to Guyana following the aborted fight, her coaches, Joseph Murray and Sebert Blake had said that her reputation had preceded her and she had created a stir in Mexico.
The coaches had also said that despite the disappointment experienced by Alfred’s inability to keep her ring date, the promoters had extended benevolence and paid her a part of her purse. Further, they had explained that President of the WBC, Jose Sulaiman, had indicated that Alfred will retain her rating (#8 in the super/flyweight division) until her issue is sorted out.
Mr. Sulaiman has since passed away and Kaieteur Sport queried whether this turn of events would put a monkey’s wrench in plans. Alfred said that the late WBC President’s passing would not affect her chances at securing a top ranking nor the title fight since it was Mr. Sulaiman’s son, WBC Secretary General, Mauricio, that had undertook to arrange the bout.
Kaieteur Sport sought a comment from the GBBC President, Peter Abdool, but we were informed that he was out of the country. However, a source close to the GBBC did confirm that Alfred has been considered for a second chance at the title. The source said that all efforts would be made to secure the bout for Alfred.
Meanwhile, Mexican pugilist, Maribel Ramirez, had substituted for Alfred and lost on points to hand Muñoz the title on points. The latter fighter had then taken her record to 36 wins with 1 loss. However, Muñoz has been very busy and has improved her record with 4 convincing wins over Tenkai Tsunami (w 10), Soledad Macado (TKO 4), Maribel Ramirez (KO 1) and Marissa Johanna, who was disqualified in the first round. All of those fights were title defenses and Muñoz’s record has since improved to 40 wins with one loss. She had knocked out 26 of her opponents and her knockout ratio has improved to 60.47%.
Alfred has since said that while she is confident of defeating Muñoz, she would like to have at least two warm up fights before tackling the world champion. “I will be discussing this with my trainer so that we would arrive at a sensible conclusion,” she affirms. In the meantime Alfred said she will remain in the gym to whip herself into a decent shape.
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