Female flyweight prospect Gabriela “Sweet Poison” Fundora’s 10-round fight tonight is back on after a more accurate PCR test she was administered came up negative for Covid today.
Coachella, California’s Fundora (4-0, 2 KOs) was set to face Santiago de Veraguas, Panama’s Nataly Delgado (8-4-1, 3 KOs) in a televised bout for the WBC Latino Flyweight Championship on tonight’s (Friday, January 14, 2022) “Box & Roll” event at the Vasco Núñez de Balboa Convention Center in the El Panama Hotel in Panama City, Panama.
However, at yesterday’s weigh-in, the 19-year-old southpaw and former amateur standout was shocked to discover she had tested positive for the virus, according to a rapid test. As per commission procedure, Fundora, who showed no symptoms, was allowed to weigh-in (111.25 lbs.) and was given a more-accurate 24-hour PCR test by the same laboratory to be certain.
The results of that test proved her negative status today.
“I’m so relieved,” said a happy Fundora. “We worked so hard for this, it would have been a shame to miss it. I didn’t let it get me down though. We kept the focus and our faith and today, I’m negative and the fight is back on!”
Presented by Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing, Carlos Gonzalez of Best Box, Carlos Andres Tello of Tello-Box and Paco Damian of Paco Presents and broadcast live internationally on TyC Sports and in Panama on TV Max Channel 9, Fundora will be fighting her televised battle in support of the night’s 10-round main event, Curundu, Panama’s Jaime “Jaimito” Arboleda (17-2, 14 KOs) will face Nicolas Polanco (20-1-1, 11 KOs) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic for the WBC Latino Silver Lightweight Championship.
In the night’s co-main event, La Banda, Santiago del Estero, Argentina’s Hugo Alberto “Nato” Roldan (20-0-1, 7 KOs) will take on Barranquilla, Colombia’s German Del Castillo (10-1-2, 7 KOs) over 10 rounds for the WBC Latino Silver Super Lightweight Championship.
And in the opening televised bout, Colon City, Panama’s undefeated Ernesto Marin (9-0, 5 KOs) will face Monteria, Colombia’s Carlos Suarez (8-2, 6 KOs) in a six-round lightweight showcase.
“I’m very happy things worked Gabriela. She is a future champion,” said her promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz. “Yesterday, I was very upset, but she kept her calm and focus. I’m looking forward to another great performance from the young woman they call ‘Sweet Poison.’”
The night will begin with an amateur boxing tournament. Sembrando Campeones, a running program for South American amateur boxing, features the next wave of fighting talent from Uruguay and Panama.
On fight night, the televised action will begin at 22:00 hrs. (10:00 pm GMT-3) in Argentina Time and 20:00 hrs. (8:00 pm EST) in Panama.
For more information, visit sampsonboxing.com.
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About Sampson Boxing
Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America. Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, ESPN+, DAZN, VS., FOX, Fox Sports and several international networks. For more information, visit sampsonboxing.com.
