(AUG 11) CODA is pleased to announce that Trinbagonian Female Professional Boxer, four-time world champion, Ria Ramnarine will be awarded the first ever Honorary Undisputed Champion of Dignity title. A one-of-a-kind custom made Champion Of Dignity belt has been sent to Miss Ramnarine.

While our organization is relatively new, our members have been in boxing for what seems like forever. Ria Ramnarine’s career over the past years was followed by some of our members. We decided that she is more than deserving of this award/honor.

We have seen Ramnarine thrust to the bottom of the ladder on many occasions, only to have her fight gallantly back to the top. Her ability to rise above everything else and continue to struggle in and out the ring has earned her the respect most covet. Ramnarine’s boxing record does not show she is undefeated, but more so reflects the ups and downs she has gotten through. The record out of the ring however, even surpasses the one inside. She is a true “Peoples Champion”.

Her accolades of being the first female Trinidadian to win a world title in boxing, and also the first to win an International title in Kickboxing, is noteworthy.

We have followed her works at the schools in Trinidad and Tobago, taking the time to meet with the youth of your nation, sharing words of advice and trying to give them hope and encouragement. Her charity work was most noted especially with her recent stint in the Jericho Project. Facebook provided a great avenue to the knowledge of such ventures. Her modesty when questioned about her charity works is an indication that she does it not for herself but for the people whose life she believes she can make a difference too.

Special notice was taken when we saw the article where Ramnarine paid great respect to your Olympian weight-lifter, Mr. Wilkes (2008). Not many athletes remember those who paved the sporting road and far less actually give back to these athletes. Since CODA is an alliance of the Retired Boxers Foundation, and while Mr. Wilkes is not a boxer, Ramnarine’s act of humility and awareness for retired athletes was applauded. She has made a donation to the Retired Boxers Foundation as a way of contributing to the forefathers of boxing. It is recognized that she does live on the paycheck of a professional boxer and as we all know, that can be a hard life sometimes.

Links: www.retiredboxers.org, www.codaboxing.com. The Mission of the Retired Boxers Foundation is to assist retired professional boxers, especially those suffering from alcohol and substance abuse problems, homelessness and the effects of pugilistic dementia (the medical term for “punch drunk”).

CODA Mission: Our mission is to give back to the boxers who made this sport what it is today. We have an alliance with the Retired Boxers Foundation Inc. which will help provide retired boxers with the help that they need as well as educate the new generation of boxers. This sanctioning body is about boxers helping boxers, bringing unity to the sport as well as providing for a better future.