| |
|
|
Lucas Bastida: Stabbings, Legacy,
& The Battle To The Top Of Boxing
Lucas Bastida (18-1-1, 10 KOs) has had to overcome some of
the most shocking of circumstances to put himself in a
position to fight Josh Kelly (11-1-1, 7 KOs) for the WBO
International Super Welterweight belt on Saturday 30 July at
the Vertu Motors Arena in Newcastle, live on Channel 5.
You will seldom find someone more mentally and physically
strong than Bastida, who is prepared to leave his homeland
of Argentina to fight overseas for the first time in front
of his opponents own crowd.
The North East takeover could be threatened by this
dangerous Argentine, who is calling upon his impenetrable
will and his peak conditioning to show why he has
aspirations of becoming a world champion.
“I’m in boxing to achieve my dream of becoming a world
champion, and leaving my surname remembered and respected,”
said Bastida. “I really appreciate this opportunity to fight
for the WBO International belt in Newcastle.
“Winning this means everything and that’s why I’m prepared
to travel abroad to compete. I have huge support from my
family and my friends, they have a lot of faith in me.”
Faith is not something that has always been present in the
life of ‘El Tornado’. He went out to meet a group of
friends, and found himself being held at knife-point by a
mugger with a butchers knife.
After doing his upmost to protect himself, he miraculously
escaped the attacker but left with injuries that put his
boxing career in serious jeopardy.
“It was around 5 years ago when someone tried to rob me, and
they stabbed me in the arm which cut three tendons and a
nerve. At that point I thought my career was over,” he said.
“Doctors had no faith I would return to boxing, but I worked
hard to rehab and make it back. I had to wait 12 months to
fight again, and I boxed with a lot of pain in my hand, but
I won. Since then, I took this as my second chance in boxing
and I’ll give my best all the way to the very end.”
Now he comes up against Sunderland’s Kelly who will be
looking to overcome this Argentine fighter who has lived a
life of bouncing back when the odds are against him.
Having come through the other side of a past full of trials
and tribulations, Bastida believes he is in his prime and
ready to throw down on fight night.
“This is my first fight abroad, and I’m excited to travel to
the UK and get to test myself against someone like Josh
Kelly. I’ll go to the UK in the best condition I’ve been in.
I know I have strong hands, I just need to be patient and
wait for my moment.”
Unfazed by the travel, unfazed by Kelly’s home crowd, and
unfazed about anything other than appreciating his life;
Bastida is a man with nothing to lose. Entering the main
event at the Vertu Motors Arena, the Argentine is up for the
task of being locked in their with no one but his opponent.
“I’m a fighter in life. I’ve been in this sport a long-time
training to be someone, I have a one year old daughter too
and I fight for her,” he said.
“We are aware that we are going to his home, but in the ring
it is just me and him. When the bell rings, we will see
who’s better.”
The North East takeover is coming as Josh Kelly (11-1-1, 7
KOs) vs. Lucas Bastida (18-1-1, 10 KOs) headline for the WBO
International Super Welterweight Championship on an electric
fight night. Olympic hero Pat McCormack (1-0, 1 KO) also
stars, alongside Harlem Eubank (14-0, 6 KOs) as he continues
his title charge against Tom ‘Fazza’ Farrell (21-5, 5 KOs).
Heavyweights Hosea Stewart (2-0) and Franklin Ignatius (3-0,
1 KO) guaranteed to produce fireworks amongst top local
talent such as ‘Drago’ Steve Robinson (4-1, 3 KOs), Kai
Richmond (1-0), Ben Marksby (4-0), Lisa Whiteside (3-0, 1KO)
and Jordan Barker-Porter (3-1) on an unforgettable night in
the North East. Wasserman Boxing heads to the Vertu Motors
Arena in Newcastle for a massive night of free-to-air boxing
on Saturday July 30, live on Channel 5 in association with
William Hill, Numan and Infinitum Entertainment.
|
|
|
