UNBEATEN
CRISTIAN FRIAS TAKES AIM AT EUROPE’S BEST
31.03.06: Undefeated
Dutch-Dominican lightwelterweight Cristian Frias, whose
chest tattoo reflects his ring name ‘La Cobra’, has renewed
hopes to finally shake up his division and this time is poised
for a serious run after signing a managerial agreement with
German company Fight Production.
“I am very
exited to work with Cristian now,” says manager Olaf
Schroeder, who first discovered Frias on the Caribbean island of
Curacao when more than three years ago he appeared on the
undercard of Schroeder’s heavyweight Richel Hersisia. As the
manager explains:
“Outside of
Richel, Cristian was the only guy on the whole card who could
fight, and in a very exiting manner, so ever since I always
fancied to one day work with him.”
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Although
the fighter and the manager already had met for lunch on
another trip to the Caribbean of Schroeder in late 2003,
that day came only now, after Frias decided to move with
his Dutch wife Angelique and their three little childred
away from sunny Curacao to the Netherlands in a bid to
further his boxing career. Born in Bonao in the
Dominican Republic, Frias was an outstanding amateur
with close to 100 contests. In 1999, he met his future
wife, they settled on Curacao and ‘La Cobra’
embarked on a professional career that up to this point
never saw him exit the ring as a looser. In 21 fights,
Frias only had to share the spoils twice, but of his 19
wins all but three came by knockout.
“He
could have gone on forever compiling win after win on
Curacao and still get nowhere,” comments the
29-year-old’s new manager, “so the move to Europe
will open many doors for Cristian.” |
Although a
local star on the island (belonging to the Netherlands), Frias
only professional title came in 2003, when he returned to his
town of birth Bonao and won the Netherlands Antilles lightweight
belt. If the new team of Frias and Schroeder have it their way,
more worthy titles will follow, but given the fact that Frias
had an enforced layoff of more than one year, Fight Production
will surely ease him back gently. However, it seems no more time
will be waisted, as Schroeder confirmed he is working on Frias
to make his first appearance under the new management within the
next month.
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