By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN pro boxer Carl Hield stepped into the ring for a fifth straight bout in the professional ranks and was successful once again to remain undefeated.

Hield handed Colombia’s Emilio Julio his 19th loss in 53 bouts in Santa Marta, Colombia, over the weekend in the super welterweight division. He defeated his opponent via knockout in the fifth round at the Coliseo de Pescaito David Ruiz Ureche.

The victory improved his win/loss/draw record to 5-0-0 while Julio dropped to 32-19-2.

The undefeated boxer has gotten used to hoisting his hands in celebration as of late but remains humble on his quest to a world title opportunity. “I want to thank God for giving me the strength and knowledge to be able to keep performing at a high level. It feels good to be 5-0-0 with five knockouts but now it is on to the next.

We are trying to get a title eliminator in March or April so that is the objective from now to keep racking up the wins and trying to bring a world title to The Bahamas,” Hield said. The more experienced Julio came out the gates with heavy blows in the direction of his opponent in the opening rounds. However, Hield was prepared for the game plan of the Colombian pro boxer and avoided the punches thrown while waiting on the perfect opportunity to land his final blow.

“My execution was the same as always but in this fight I had to turn it up a notch because this opponent was very experienced. I was just keeping him at bay and using my jab. He was a heavy hitter so he kept coming with the hooks so I was just stepping back, throwing my straight left and pushing him off with the right hook. At the end of the fifth round, I caught him with a straight left to the body, a hook to the top and straight left to the body again and he dropped and didn’t get back up,” Hield said.

For some, being unbeaten can be a gift and a curse but for Hield it is the former. Since transitioning from the amateur level last October, he has enjoyed fighting on a more consistent basis and winning is just an added plus.

“I keep myself motivated because at the amateur level I was not getting a lot of competition and I was fighting every 8-9 months. I am keeping myself motivated now because I know I want to become a world champion and fights are gonna be back-to-back and 2-3 weeks apart.

“It just gives me motivation to know I am going to be active a lot so it keeps me training hard, preparing and striving for one goal,” he said.

The goal may be achieved sooner than later as Hield is expecting his next big match in the upcoming months.

He can sense that he is one step closer to handling business in that regard and wants to prove that he belongs in an elite category of Bahamian boxers.

“Knowing and seeing guys I have beaten before in the amateurs as world champions or have already fought for a world title really shows me that I belong in the elite level of this profession too. I just have to wait about two or three more fights until I have an opportunity to show it,” he said.

Until then, Hield remains locked in with intense training. Details for his next bout will be released in the following weeks. Hield also thanked Rollin’ Tyre Imports (Trinidad and Tobago), Jet Wave, J-Tech Windows, SO Management, the Bahamas Boxing Federation and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.