Carlos Suarez wants to turn pro by early 2013. He has no plans, though, of using Trinidad and Tobago as his base.

Following his opening round elimination at the hands of Turkey's Ferhat Pehlivan in the Olympic Games men's light flyweight (46-49 kilogrammes) division, at the ExCel South Arena 2, here in London, England, yesterday, Suarez launched a verbal attack on Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Board of Control (TTBBC) special adviser, Boxu Potts.

"In the pro game," the 19-year-old boxer told the Express, "Trinidad's horrible, because it's run by Boxu Potts. He's one of the worse managers I ever dealt with, one of the worst boxing people I've ever dealt with. He's a pure liar, and he did nothing but try to bring down my confidence."

Potts was at the ExCel South Arena 2, yesterday, for Suarez's first and last Olympic bout.

"Right after a fight," Potts told the Express, "you can talk to a fighter and their emotions can be high. Sometimes, fighters can say things they have to regret, because we are in the business of promoting and developing boxing, and they are a part of that development.

"I can advise him that he needs to train, he needs to work hard, he needs to use the basic fundamentals of boxing–food, exercise and rest. He needs to go back to the boxing school and learn his trade properly. He must learn to wake up early and go to bed early. I didn't fail Carlos Suarez. I brought him this far. He has failed himself by not living the life..."

Potts said if Suarez has a change of heart, he will not be turned away.

"If he wants to turn pro and he wants to be promoted in Trinidad and Tobago, our doors are always open. There are a lot of fighters that have criticised us before, and they come back and benefit from us–namely Wayne Braithwaite, namely Kirt Sinnette. A whole lot of other fighters in the past have done that, and they still have to come back."

But the American-born Suarez made it absolutely clear he is severing ties with T&T boxing.

"I have no intentions whatsoever–zero, negative 20 per cent–of turning pro or doing anything in Trinidad. But this was a great experience. It was a lot of hard work–I wouldn't say ups, a lot of downs. I have no regrets, though. I fought my heart out, tried to put on a show. From here on," Suarez ended, "I'm going to go pro."

By Kwame Laurence in London

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com