The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER recovering from an ankle injury that prevented him from completing his appearance at the Commonwealth Games, Carl 'Flashy King' Hield said he's back to full strength as he defends his titles in a professional fight this weekend.

Hield, now 40, will be defending his World Boxing Association (WBA FedeCARIBE super welterweight and National Boxing Association (NBA) Latin super welterweight middleweight titles when he takes on Colombian orthodox fighter Oscar Cuero on Saturday night at the Complejo Deportivo Rodrigo in Ahumanda, Santa Marta, Colombia.

While Hield goes into the fight with a perfect1410-0 win-loss record having won his two fights so far this year in February and May, Cuero, also 40, is 16-10 and has been inactive since September, 2023 when he lost his last fight to Alexander Castro.

Hield, having won his opening match 3-1 over Oswald Talaka of Solomon Islands in the men's 70 kilogram class at the Commonwealth Games, was unable to take on Jon McConnell in his quarterfinal match in Glasgow, Scotland, due to his injury.

“I want to thank God for giving me the strength and the knowledge to continue on the right track," Hield said yesterday from Colombia where he wrapped up a mini training camp for the fight.

"After a bad experience in the Commonwealth Games, in which I wanted to win the gold medal for my country, I sprained my ankle in the first fight and I couldn't fight the second fight."

In thanking God and medical personnel Dr Rickey Davis in Glasgow, Hield said he was able to weather the storm and is now in fine form again to compete on Saturday.

"I'm feeling 150 per cent right now. I'm still ready to go," Hield said. "I just wanted to add the Commonwealth Games gold medal to my legendary name before I come here to defend my titles."

Now that he’s back, Hield said he's going out on Saturday to redeem himself from not getting another medal at the Commonwealth Games.

"I'm back and ready to go out there and keep The Bahamas' flag flying on the map," Hield said. "This guy is a very experienced fighter. I saw him train before when I was over here, but I never knew I would get a chance to get in the ring with him. So there's a lot on my mind about what I have to do to pull off a dominant performance."

Hield said it doesn't matter whether it's a knockout, unanimous decision or if he has to go the distance, he just wants to get his hands raised in victory.

Once again, Hield indicated that he will be dedicating the fight to his number one supporter, his deceased mother Norma Hield, and he expressed his gratitude to his manager Roy Rodgers and his sponsors, Strikers Boxing Club, Beer Pressure, Irina y Su familia's Deliciosas Empanadas, West End Contracting & Repair, Rigger Life 242 and Dinner in the Sky Bahamas.