Caribbean & International                       boxing

By Veersen Bhoolai (with files from the TT Express) Earlier this year, a group of Sports Journalist in Trinidad & Tobago selected the "Millennium List - the country's top 100 athletes of the last century. Amazingly, Claude Noel, TT's first World Boxing Champion, was excluded. Noel created History in September of 1981, when he convincingly beat Rodolfo El Gato Gonzalez, of Mexico for the World Boxing Association Lightweight title. Less than three months later he would lose the title by knock out to last minute substitute Arturo Frias. As a fighter Noel won every title available to him, National, Latin American, Commonwealth, and of course the biggest bauble of all, the World title. What makes Noel's story even more incredible is that he turned pro at 27, at a time when most fighters are at their peak. He suffered setbacks early in his career when he was knocked out in back to back fights by Guyana's Lennox Blackmoore. Blackmoore a fine fighter himself would go on to win the Commonwealth Crown. A few years later he would unsuccessfully challenge Arron Pryor for the Jr. Welterweight title. Noel bounced back. His first top ten contender was Hector Medina of the Dominican Republic, ranked number nine.. Noel broke his right hand prior to the fight, but being poor with no special connections, he decided not to cancel. He put away Medina in the ninth round. A 31 year old Noel fought Venezuelan Ernesto Espana for the vacant WBA Lightweight title July, 1979. Espana duly put away in the thirteenth round. For most fighters that would have been the end of the road. However, Noel persisted, cutting a swath through the division. After being ducked by a succession of Champions (Hilmer Kenty and Sean O'Grady), he was pitted against the Mexican golden boy, Gonzalez. As Ring Magazine had said, it was not IF Gonzalez would become a World Champion, but WHEN. Well, Noel broke Gonzalez's jaw, en route to a convincing 15 round decision. TT produced a number of world class fighters during the last century. However only one other was able to win a world title, Lightheavy, Leslie Tiger Stewart. Why then would the Selection Committee ignore a man who persevered against the odds, to bring fistic honour to his country. Many including Noel believe it is because of his checkered past. He spent 45 days in prison in the 1990s for selling stolen items. He said he was trying to help a friend in a Spot Cash transaction. In an interview with the TT Express, Noel said: "It was a stupid thing to do. I signed a document to help out and I paid the penalty. Yes, I paid my debt to society," said the 54-year-old former champion. "But what does that have to do with my achievement in the ring?" he asked. Others chosen had an advantage over him, he said. "You see they are in a high social class... remember I am from the Ghetto." Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport, Irma Brown-Williams, said that only 100 could make the list. "Perhaps Mr. Noel will make the list for the next Millennium. Is she serious? This is a statement steeped in stupidity. Are we to believe that an athlete of Noel's accomplishments can't make a top 100 list in TT? Secondly, how in the world is Noel supposed to make the list for the next millennium? Is he supposed to come out of retirement? Perhaps Ms. Brown-Williams is not as clueless as she sounds. She and the committee may not wish to bring up Noels criminal record, for fear of being accused of having a biassed opinion of him. The TT Press, Government and people partied with Noel when he won the world title. Sadly, many years later, they seem to have forgotten him. Perhaps Noel himself said it best: "I try to keep fit and I am coping with diabetes. But they can't erase my name from the record books, they can't fool the grassroots ...the man on the street they know who Claude Noel is."

Claude Noel