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NABC World Middleweight Champion Teresa Perozzi will defend her belt against Florida’s Kimberly Harris at Cedarbridge Academy on February 18 in an historic night for Bermuda boxing.

James Whittaker caught up with her to talk about her training, her sponsorship troubles and the nerves and excitement of being the first Bermuda boxer to fight for a title on home soil.

How’s the training going?

I’ve been doing quite a bit of running. I find it easier if I have a goal to aim for — that's why I took part in the Bermuda half-marathon. I knocked ten minutes off my time, so I was pleased with that. I’m a lot fitter than I was this time last year.

I don’t have quite as much time to prepare as I did for the Carrington fight but I’ve already started training in the ring.

My trainer Quinton Mallory is in Florida, but I have been through this before and I know what I have to do.

I’ve been training at the Police Gym and Forty Rego’s gym.

One of the problems you’ve had in the past has been in finding sparring partners. How's that working out this time?

I’m sparring as much as I can. It can be difficult to get partners but I’ve been doing a lot of sparring work with the guys.

Josh Smith, who is fighting on the under-card, has been great for me to spar with.

We have already got up to eight, three-minute rounds, so that is a good sign. The fight will be over ten, two-minute rounds.

How much do you know about your opponent, Kimberley Harris?

I don’t know much about her, other than what I've read on the Internet. A matchmaker who saw me fight in Trinidad brought us together.

She’s my height, she’s right handed, which is good. I prefer to fight against right-handers. I’ve done well against taller fighters in the past, so if I had to choose I guess I would have taken another tall fighter.

If she’s short and in shape, it will be about who has the better fighting skills.

I believe I can beat anybody as long as I train as hard as I need to.

Harris' record of three wins in ten pro fights is not the best. Is she going to be a challenge for you?

I definitely don’t underestimate her because of her record. On paper, I don’t look as good as I am, so that can be misleading.

She has fought ten times, so she has had more experience than me.

I didn’t want to step down in opponents and fight someone who was a guaranteed win.

I understand the name of the game is to keep the belt as long as possible, but I still want to test myself in the ring.

What's it going to be like, defending your title in Bermuda?

I think it’s a shame we couldn't get a bigger venue. I think there will be a huge demand for tickets.

I don’t think 500, or even 800, is going to be nearly enough. It would have been too risky, though, to have it outside at this time of year. This is a good start.

I’m sure it will be nerve-racking. I’m going to be focused and I'm determined not to let anything distract me.

There’s so much more to lose when you're fighting in front of a home crowd, rather than being away and being the outsider. I'm sure they expect big things from me.

Do you have access to all the facilities and sparring partners you need in Bermuda?

It’s not an ideal situation. I’ve been in Leila Ali’s training camp and seen the difference. But I’m not the only one in this situation and if anything it makes me train harder.

I’ve been trying for sponsorship but that’s not happening. Everybody is very supportive but I can’t get sponsors.

I think maybe there’s a perception of boxing as a blood sport or something like that. I didn't think it would be this difficult

It’s not worth feeling sorry for myself or looking at the $11million going to cricket.

I’ve just got to work harder to succeed. It’s all going to seem worthwhile on the night.

Will you be happy to go the ten rounds and look for a points decision or are you after a knockout?

I need a knockout. That’s what I’m looking for. I don’t think I can count on any favours from the judges. The only way to be sure of winning the fight is to get a knockout.[[In-content Ad]]

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