Tracey Seymour shadow boxes in preparation for an exhibition fight against Sasha Gayle, an opponent of a higher weight class, at the D. Dalmain Boxing Gym on Saturday.

“I’m in more than good shape,” said Ms Seymour, who has been training hard under the watchful eye of coach Stormin’ Norman Wilson.

Ms Seymour will be fighting alongside other members of the National Boxing Team, including Thomas McField, Jessica McFarlane, Aaron Powell, and Tafari Ebanks.

Tracey’s boxing clever

Tracey Seymour has been training hard for her Saturday night fight against Sasha Gayle from Jamaica at the D. Dalmain Ebanks Boxing Gym.

She’s feeling in great shape, she says, but the road she has taken in her boxing career has not been easy since she was introduced to the sport on her 18th birthday.

“It was in the Matrix nightclub when they used to do Monday night boxing,” she said.

“My very first international fight was in Trinidad in 2004 for the Caribbean Championships. I didn’t win but it wasn’t a right match-up, we were not in the same weight class. The only reason I agreed on it was because I wanted the experience.”

But just as Ms Seymour was getting into her stride in the world of boxing, Hurricane Ivan paid Cayman an unwelcome visit.

“After that our gym was completely destroyed – we used to practice behind the library in George Town. I wasn’t training because of the devastation – I was too busy putting my life back together,” she explained.

Ms Seymour began training seriously again in 2006. She fought and won a match against Sasha Gayle, but then had another big setback.

“I got into a car accident which took out my knee and that put me out of training for four years,” she said.

It wasn’t until 2010 that Ms Seymour started training for fights once again.

“Norman Wilson has been training me and I am better than before. I’m quicker and sharper because he sees what I need to do, and I do what he tells me,” she said.

She feels fitter, and in better shape than ever before, and ready to meet her opponent. “I know that she’s a bigger opponent so my plan is to use speed against her,” she added.

When asked if she felt boxing was still a male domain, Ms Seymour replied: “Women have pretty much stepped up to the plate to prove that we can do the same thing that men can. God made us with special abilities just like the men, to be all that we can be in life.”

The Saturday night fight at the D. Dalmain Ebanks Boxing Gym will feature fights by Cayman National Team members Thomas McField, Jessica McFarlane, Chad Scott, Aaron Powell, Dariel Ebanks, Tafari Ebanks, Kendall Ebanks and Raymond Rodriguez, who will be fighting against the Bruising Gym Team members from Jamaica.