P. Soares (center) held the WBO Latin American title. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
From heaven to hell. Latin American boxing champion from the World Boxing Organization (WBO), Paulo Soares experienced regrettable moments on March 28th. The athlete, who was traveling to Los Mochis, in Mexico, to defend his title against Alan Solis, ended up being detained in the country, and in addition, he lost his title for not appearing at the confrontation. In an interview with 'UOL Esporte', the boxer narrated the situation and criticized the authorities.
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“They didn't say an 'a' to me from the moment I got there (Mexico) until the moment I left. They didn’t give any explanation,” said the athlete.
Without knowing why he couldn't embark for the destination of his fight, Soares revealed that he was taken to a room and, there, he told what happened. According to Paulo, the approach was questionable, as the Brazilian did not know what, in fact, the real situation was.
“We passed through the airport and arrived at a small room. They ordered the shoelaces to be removed. The guy was very ignorant, treating me as if he were a criminal, as if I was taking drugs or something. They looked through my hand luggage. The suitcase I checked in I could only get in Brazil, and it was all torn apart,” he said.
In addition to the embarrassing moment, Soares stated that safety rules in the face of the coronavirus pandemic were not followed. According to the boxer, after being searched, he ended up being placed in a 'cell' along with other people.
“The room had no window. There was only one fan, but it was facing the people who were already there, it wasn't for us. (…) I couldn’t even sleep. The guy locked the door and it got incredibly hot. I was scared the whole time, I never took off my mask, but we know that the mask alone is not enough. There wasn't even a gel alcohol thing there. It was terrible”, he concluded.
After the personal trauma, more problems would happen in Paulo's life. Unable to embark to fulfill his commitment against Alan Solis, the Brazilian ended up being replaced in the commitment, which would take place on April 1st.
At the last minute, Jonathan Aguilar replaced the Tupiniquim in the fight, now valid for the vacant belt. According to Mike Miranda, who accompanied Soares on the trip, the decision to take the title was also due to the athlete's period of inactivity.
“If he had defended it three or four months ago, the belt would have been kept. Now, he is the mandatory challenger for whoever wins the fight in Mexico. The problem is knowing where this fight would take place because of the pandemic”, said Miranda.
At 33 years old, Paulo today boasts a record with 12 commitments in professional boxing. The athlete has 11 triumphs and one setback.
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