Paola Casalinuovo Struggles to fight in Argentina – by Sue TL Fox

Meet Paola Casalinuovo…..Casalinuovo, 27 years old, can tell boxing fans first hand, the struggles and frustrations of trying to be in women’s boxing. You will more than likely not recognize her name, because she struggles to fight from afar, where most do not even want the sport in their country.

You will also probably not hear Casalinuovo trash the whole sport as some have recently done in the United States, without giving a moment’s thought as to who they have included in that “trashing.” Caslinuovo knows the problems, but she strives to move forward and to concentrate her energies in searching for opportunities in a country that offers little to her and other women boxers.

Casalinuovo started boxing five years ago. She first participated in amateurs and had seven fights, undefeated in all. Before Casalinuovo began boxing, she was an Olympic weight lifter, and was part of the national team which represented the country internationally.

As a physical education teacher, Casalinuovo, has also trained national leagues such as the hockey and handball national teams as well as training and helping disabled people.

Casalinuovo has had four professional boxing matches—winning all four, one by way of TKO.

She has not been featured on ESPN2, Fox Sports Net, Pay- Per-Views, or any other televised sports programs. She would just be content to be able to get fights—not only in her country, but in other parts of the world. Casalinuovo, fights as a middleweight at about 160 lbs., and that is one of her dilemmas. She is in a weight class that offers few opponents in Argentina.

Casalinuovo told WBAN,  “There are no rivals and our disastrous economic situation as a country prevent promoters and managers of sending us abroad or bringing some one from abroad. Let’s hope things will change, not only for the sport, but also for all the people in our country that have little opportunity of living with dignity, with no chance of acceding to health assistance…”

Casalinuovo explained to WBAN the problems of fighting in a country that does not support women’s boxing and said, “As if the terrible economy were not enough, even if the Argentinean boxing federation has pro women boxers, they don’t really care about us. They don’t care if we fight or not.”

Even though Casalinuovo is told that she is a talented fighter, and that she has a “gift” for boxing, it does little to actually help her progress in the sport. Casalinuovo said in frustration, “That is all it is, words, words, words….And, as you can see, I am determined, I’m gonna go for it.”

©Copyrighted by Sue TL Fox, December 9, 2001

All Rights Reserved.