port-of-spain, trinidad, (cmc)

The funeral of the late boxing star Jizelle Salandy will take place tomorrow at the Siparia Cemetery at 2:00 p.m., following a service at the St Benedict's Catholic Church in La Romaine, from 11 a.m.

The 21-year-old multiple world light middleweight champion died Sunday morning in the operating theatre of the Port -of-Spain General Hospital, after the car she was driving crashed into a pillar on the Beetham Highway near the city.

The other person in the car, national footballer Tammie Watson, home on holidays from a scholarship at Shorter University in Atlanta, USA, is still at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital in a critical condition.

Wilson, age 22, suffered broken bones in both her legs and collarbone.

Family members and dignitaries will get the opportunity to view Salandy's body at 4:00 p.m. today at Belgroves Funeral Home and Crematorium in San Fernando.

Members of the public will be allowed to view the body one hour later.

Buried in mom's grave

At a news conference yesterday, the boxer's manager, Boxu Potts, said Salandy told him that she wanted to be buried in her mother's grave and with her boxing clothes.

"She also told me that she would remain unbeaten till she died," said Potts.

"I couldn't understand why she said these things, but she did," added Potts, who had big plans for her during 2009, including a lucrative bout with American Mary Jo Sanders in March.

Potts also mentioned that Salandy, who obtained her driver's permit two years ago, had a designated driver and was not supposed to be driving until she had developed her skills on the road.

Salandy became the youngest boxer - man or woman - to unify the two most prestigious titles in the world, the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council world titles when she defeated Elizabeth Mooney on a seventh-round knockout as an 18-year-old in September 2006.

She was also honoured as T&T's Sportswoman of the Year 2006.

At the time of her death, Salandy held eight international belts and had been named 2008 "Boxer of the Year" by the Women's International Boxing Association (WIBA).

She would have turned 22 years old on Sunday, January 25.