Meet Paola Casalinuovo…..Casalinuovo,
27 years old, can tell boxing fans first hand, the struggles and
frustrations of trying to be in women’s boxing. You will more than
likely not recognize her name, because she struggles to fight from
afar, where most do not even want the sport in their country.
You will also probably not hear Casalinuovo trash the whole sport
as some have recently done in the United States, without giving a
moment’s thought as to who they have included in that
"trashing." Caslinuovo knows the problems, but she strives
to move forward and to concentrate her energies in searching for
opportunities in a country that offers little to her and other women
boxers.
Casalinuovo started boxing five years ago. She first participated
in amateurs and had seven fights, undefeated in all. Before
Casalinuovo began boxing, she was an Olympic weight lifter, and was
part of the national team which represented the country
internationally.
As a physical education teacher, Casalinuovo, has also trained
national leagues such as the hockey and handball national teams as
well as training and helping disabled people.
Casalinuovo has had four professional
boxing matches---winning all four, one by way of TKO.
She has not been featured on ESPN2, Fox Sports Net, Pay-
Per-Views, or any other televised sports programs. She would just be
content to be able to get fights---not only in her country, but in
other parts of the world. Casalinuovo, fights as a middleweight at
about 160 lbs., and that is one of her dilemmas. She is in a weight
class that offers few opponents in Argentina.
Casalinuovo told WBAN, "There are no rivals and our
disastrous economic situation as a country prevent promoters and
managers of sending us abroad or bringing some one from abroad.
Let's hope things will change, not only for the sport, but also for
all the people in our country that have little opportunity of living
with dignity, with no chance of acceding to health
assistance..."
Casalinuovo explained to WBAN the problems of fighting in a
country that does not support women’s boxing and said, "As if
the terrible economy were not enough, even if the Argentinean boxing
federation has pro women boxers, they don't really care about us.
They don't care if we fight or not."
Even though Casalinuovo is told that she is a talented fighter,
and that she has a "gift" for boxing, it does little to
actually help her progress in the sport. Casalinuovo said in
frustration, "That is all it is, words, words, words….And, as
you can see, I am determined, I’m gonna go for it."
©Copyrighted by Sue TL Fox, December
9, 2001
All Rights Reserved.
