‘Disappointment’ after boxing match postponed

THE TRNC Boxing Federation expressed “disappointment” last night at the 11th-hour postponement of a boxing tournament in Glasgow, Scotland, that would have seen the TRNC’s Sugar Atahasan make his international professional debut today.

British Irish Boxing Authority (Biba) TRNC chairman Hasan Karacalı told Cyprus Today: “Sugar was going to fly the TRNC flag for the first time in TRNC boxing history at a major international tournament. He has been training very hard and there was a build-up of excitement and adrenaline.

“Naturally, we are all disappointed. We have been told that the deferral was because a main fight boxer was injured.”

A social media post by Lee William Mcallister said he was “absolutely gutted to announce that the Scott Harrison headlined boxing show in Glasgow . . . has been put back to the start of next year . . . Gutted for all the fighters who have put in good camps and got themselves in cracking shape to fight. Sorry to all the boxing fans who were looking forward to the show and seeing their local favourite fighters in action . . . will be rescheduled ASAP”.

Mr Atahasan, 35, grew up in Edmonton, north London, and recently became the first TRNC boxer to be signed to the sport’s professional body, Biba, and the TRNC-off shoot, Biba-TRNC. His opponent at the Glasgow Club venue was to be Belfast, Northern Ireland resident Chris Wong.

Sugar — whose real first name is Şükri — now lives in Hamitköy after moving to the TRNC two years ago.

Speaking to Cyprus Today this week, he spoke of the tough training regime he was undertaking with coach Mehmet Paşa prior to the history-making bout.

“We have both worked very hard to make this happen and [today] the dream will come true,” he said.

Mr Atahasan said he was feeling “very confident” ahead of the fourround lightweight bout and added: “Paşa has prepared me well and we are going for nothing but a win.

“We want to make North Cyprus proud.”