By Héctor Villarreal

Among the more than one hundred boxers who were training on Monday at the Pedro Alcazar Gym in Curundu, Panama City, a new face attracted attention. It was Belgian super lightweight Antoine Vanackere (16-1, 9 KOs), 26, who was sweating in the midday heat as he followed the instructions of the Arboleda family coaches.

A few meters away his father, promoter Alain Vanackere, was observing him, and told us “I had to meet here with WBA authorities to discuss the next defense of my new champion, cruiserweight Ryad Merhy, on July 17th in Belgium, so I suggested to my son, who will also fight in that event, to come with me and train here for 2 weeks”, said the father. “We are very happy to be in Panama to discover the country and especially this well-known gym,” he added.