(NOV 29) Canada’s 25 years old
60kg Lightweight Amateur champion Caroline Veyre faces the
stiffest test of her career tonight in the intimate setting of
the ‘Round Room’ at Dublin’s iconic Mansion House when she
‘gloves off’ against Ireland’s ‘pride and joy’, Olympic Gold
medallist and four times World Champion, Katie Taylor (27) from
Bray.
For Taylor this is part of her
‘Road to Rio’ preparations for next year’s AIBA World and
European Championships and ultimately the 2016 Olympics in
Brazil. Tomorrow Taylor is in action again, this time against
Finland’s European Union, bronze medallist, Mira Potkonen who
put up stiff resistance last time the two met in Hungary earlier
this summer.
Caroline Veyre though is relatively unknown outside the
Americas. Last May she took a bronze medal at the 2013 American
Confederation Continental (AMBC) championships in Venezuela
going under in the quarter-finals to U.S National titleholder ,
Jennifer Hamann (Seattle,Wash) in the 57kg weight division-
Hamann went on to take Gold.
In recent weeks, Caroline Veyre has had two major successes –
back on October 24th, she took the 2014 Canadian Elite title
(60kg) with a unanimous 3:0 verdict over Nova Scotia’s Stephanie
Walker at the Orr Centre, in Regina, Saskatchewan.
A week ago she overcame the challenge of Odile Letellier (also
3:0) at the 2014 Canadian Final Team Selection (FTS) trials in
Quebec City. 2014 also sees the inaugural Commonwealth Games
being held in Glasgow,Scotland.
Caroline was born in Paris, France but has spent the past eleven
years living – and studying – in Montreal where she boxes out of
the ‘Club Boxe de l'Est’. In an exclusive interview en-route to
the Irish capital, she explained how she became involved in the
sport.
"I started boxing when I was 18. At the beginning, I was looking
for a sport to stay in shape because I didn't like going to the
gym and working out with machines. When I started boxing, I
found out that it was not just punching each other. Boxing is
being smart in the ring and having good skills".
"I have two coaches, Leonard Kwitkowski, who has taught me how
to box since the beginning, and Douggy Berneche who is my
manager but also my conditioning trainer. They are both with me
in Dublin".
Talking about her family she went on : “I have a twin sister and
a little brother. My mom was born in Brazil in Rio and she hopes
to see me there in 2 years! " I don't have any boxing history in
my family".
Who, I wondered, apart from her coaches, have had most influence
on her career to date ?:
"Floyd Mayweather is the boxer who impressed me the most. He has
the biggest talent that I've ever seen".
Favourite boxers, amateur or pro?
“I love Floyd Mayweather, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Raushee Warren
and many others".
Plans for the foreseeable future, hopefully including Rio 2016?
“I was a student at University of Montreal for 4 years, I
completed university in May this year. I have a degree in
translation. I don't have any (longer term) plans for the
moment, at least I have something if my boxing career ends which
is good but I really want to dedicate myself to the sport of
boxing for the next two years. I'm not interested about turning
pro".
Have you ever seen Katie Taylor fight "live" or just studied
videos of her in action?
"Yes I have followed her at the Olympic Games. I also have
watched a lot of her fights on You Tube.
"To me, it is a great opportunity to know exactly where I am
today and to know what I may lack to be where she is. I believe
that everything is possible in boxing. On Friday, I want to
offer a good fight to the public and make it exciting."
Caroline carries the good wishes of all in Canadian boxing
circles in this contest against the Irish champion who has taken
Gold in the last 15 Major International championships she has
competed in and in January enters an eighth successive year as
60kg AIBA World no.1.
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