Martina Bernile: “I don’t regret choosing boxing over a permanent job”. Live streaming tonight

It's a train that Martina Bernile from Novara and Hye Soo Park from Seoul can't miss. The Gold Wba flyweight title (tonight from 9 pm live streaming on Repubblica.it, preceded by 4 under-the-radar matches) is a semifinal for the world championship, and for both of them winning it would represent the turning point of a high-level career, but one that is still missing a piece. They both came close to the title, almost caressed it, but without managing to win it. Bernile (in the Ibo acronym) against the Serbian Radovanovic (but in the mini-weight), Hye Soo Park 5 years ago (for the Wba) in South Korea against the Chinese Jinyan Gao.

Martina Bernile: “I also worked on the mental aspect, it will be an explosive match”

In short, winning would be fundamental also for a question of age (39 years old the Italian, 37 the South Korean). "It's true, we both have a long path and this match is fundamental", Martina explains to Repubblica. The Novara native is a river in full flood, who does not seem to feel the tension of the match. "I'm charged, I spent a period working not only on technique and tactics, but also on the mental aspect of the matches". In this sense the Korean, longer arms and exponent of the great Asian tradition in the small weights, will be a challenging obstacle: "She has 18 years of professionalism behind her, I expect a great challenge in the short distance. However, I am confident, I return to the flyweight, my classic weight, where I won an Italian title and a European one".

"Leaving my job at the post office was the right choice, I can confirm it now"

Years ago Martina became famous for a drastic, socially almost 'brutal' choice. After winning a competition at the Post Office at a very young age and reaching a managerial role that would have satisfied many people, she dropped everything to dedicate herself to boxing. First to the management of a gym in Sicily (in Mazara del Vallo), then returning to her Novara to start a new conversation both in competition and in teaching. "With my husband Francesco Vaccaro, who I will never thank enough, we bought a warehouse. Our gym is called Underdog Boxing, we have 250 kids, amateurs, competitors. In tonight's meeting there will be 4 boxers from my gym, 2 boys and two girls. And soon I plan to open up to paraboxing too". And about the job she left at the post office: "At 39 I can say with certainty that I made the right choice. In Novara I'm a heroine, and then there are people like Rolando Frascara and Giovanni De Carolis (the organizers, ed.) who give me all the support possible. So no regrets and full steam ahead"