Richel Hersisia: Barbados Adventure postponed

05.02 - Danish promoter Anders Vester today announced that he stages the next fight on his promotional contract with undefeated Dutch heavyweight Richel Hersisia on Friday, February 14 in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands and thus allows the “Dutch Sonny Liston” to return to home ring action for the first time in more than nine months.

This good news, however, comes on the heels of a small disappointment for Hersisia, who was scheduled to fight on Barbados in the Caribbean on March 15, but had to come to terms earlier this week with the news that this promotion, staged in conjunction with his German management company Fight Production, will have to be postponed until April. With some American additions to the Barbados card, according to manager Olaf Schröder, a delay of the Caribbean plans became unavoidable.

“At the moment, we can’t afford to think about Barbados anyway,” said trainer Mourad Louati from his gym in Den Haag, “because first things come first and now Richel must shine in Leeuwarden next week.” His scheduled opponent on Feb. 14 is solid Romanian Patriche Costel from Galati, a three-time national amateur champion, whose only traceable professional loss came on points over 10 rounds more than two years ago.

The NBB (Netherlands Boxing Board) has confirmed that in the event of Hersisia emerging victorious against Costel, it will recognize the 16-0 (13 KO’s) puncher as Dutch heavyweight champion. The title became vacant with the retirement of former Hersisia stablemate Fred Westgeest and in cases where no other contenders exist, qualified foreign boxers can be sanctioned, though not actually win the championship.

It would be the second title belt for Hersisia, who is the reigning WBA Central American champion, a crown he won in his last fight on his island of birth, Curacao.