Photo Credit:Gianluca (Rio) Di Caro
American trained English Super Bantamweight Marianne ‘Golden Girl’Marston, along with various soon to be announced American championship boxers, will be spearheading London based sporting equipment and apparel manufacturer Pugilistic Urban Garments planned assault on the $50 Billion American sporting goods market in 2009 with their pugilistic arts flagship brand P.U.G. Athletic. Marianne, a protégé of former Heavyweight Champion of the World, Smokin’Joe Frazier and Cruiserweight World Champion Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham, was previously sponsored by P.U.G. Athletic prior to her moving her training base, from Gleason's Gym (London) near Tower Bridge, to Philadelphia and Smokin’ Joe Frazier’s Gym, where she was under the personal tutelage of the legendary Heavyweight champ and his son Marvis, in February 2008. Marianne’s American adventure soon became a roller coaster ride as shortly after committing herself to being with Smokin’ Joe Frazier, to prepare for her professional debut, the Philadelphia landmark gym closed down. Marianne’s dream looked at an end after just 58 days. Not one to give up so easily Marianne tried out for Percy ‘Buster’ Custusat the “home of champions”, The James Shuler Memorial Gym, in WestPhiladelphia.
Photo Credit: Gianluca (Rio) Di Caro
Initially working with former Junior Middleweight World Champion Robert ‘Bam Bam’ Hines before switching her day to day training, due to her having difficulties understanding Robert’s strong accent which was causing frustrations between them, to the exceptional female trainer Shar’ron Baker. Around the same time P.U.G. Athletic, who were concentrating on theEuropean sporting goods market, decided not to renew their sponsorshiparrangement as Marianne would be initially competing in America and assuch could not see any benefit to their brand at that time. Just as disaster loomed again for Marianne up steps Cruiserweight KingSteve ‘USS’ Cunningham and his wife and manager Livvy who invited Marianne to be part of Team ‘USS’ Cunningham, opening up a whole new world ofopportunities for her including sessions at training camp with Team ‘USS’Cunningham’s world class coach Anthony Chase and advice from team leader Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham and “Trainer of the Year” contender Brother NazeemRichardson in addition to day to day coaching from Shar’ron. Marianne, who returned to England at the beginning of March in order toarrange the visa she requires for her professional debut at the 9th May‘09 Ivan Cohen promoted event in South Philadelphia, met with P.U.G.Athletic boss John Rooney Jnr. when she returned to Gleason’s Gym (London)for some training sessions and a new sponsorship deal was arranged inrecord time. Taking a moment out from her grueling preparations a very pleased Marianne said “I’m so pleased to be working with John (Rooney) and P.U.G. Athletic again. John has always been a great supporter of boxing. He used tosponsor my hero, Joe Calzaghe, and supports other great champions like Ian Napa and Danny Williams. It’s so exciting to be involved in their expansion plans, to say I amproud to be a P.U.G. fighter is an understatement. I’m a great believer in their products. Over the past year I have tried out loads of gloves and couldn’t find any that came close to my old ones. I kept having niggly hand injuries so I got a friend of mine to send me over a new pair of P.U.G.’s late last year and hey presto no more problems. They really dooffer the best hand protection! Whilst I’m enjoying being back in London and training at Gleason’s, I’m really looking forward to getting back to Philly so I can be fullyprepared for my fight. I’m missing everyone at Shulers terribly. I missed Tyson’s (Jamaal’s ‘DaTruth’ Davis) and Eddie’s (‘Fast’ Eddie Chambers) fights and missed evenmore not being there to celebrate their victories with them. I’m also going to miss Gee’s (Culmer) fight this Friday (3rd April). Whilst not one of my gym mates, I’m desperately hoping I can get my visa through soon so I can be there to support fellow Brit Carl Froch, when hetakes on Jermain Taylor on the 25th (April). If I do I’ll be ringside for sure, what a great way to prepare for my fight, watching awesome fighters at close quarters, who knows I might steal some of his moves and use themin my fight in May.” Marianne professional debut will be on the undercard of Philadelphia’s Brian Cohen WBC Americas Light Heavyweight title fight on May 9th 2009 at the South Philadelphia High School. The co-feature will be headed by Gabrielle Rosadl. In addition to Brian, Gabrielle and Marianne there will be seven further fights on the night. The full card will be announced, by renowned Philadelphia promoter Ivan Cohen, shortly.
See you at the Fights.
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