Teresa Perozzi might be a world champion but she is struggling to feel like one as the rows continue over the legitimacy of her WIBC Middleweight crown.

It has been 12 days since Bermuda?s only pro fighter made history with a technical knockout over Trinidadian Scroller Carrington to become the first from this Island to claim a world title.

But high-level meetings, threats of legal action and rows over money have taken some of the gloss of the win.

WIBC chairman Don (Moose) Lewis claims the body?s sanctioning requirements have not been met and that Perozzi must return the belt he handed to her in the ring in Trinidad last Friday while promoter Boxu Potts contests that the victory ? and the other world title victories that night ? are all legitimate.

?It is such a shame because being a world champion didn?t sink in right away and now it has there is all this nonsense,? said Perozzi, the frustration clear in her voice.

?This should be the happiest time for me because I have achieved something big, something I have been striving for for a long time. But then you hear all this stuff from Moose and him threatening me with arrest and all that and it makes it hard to really enjoy my win.

?Everyone here has been very supportive and Boxu keeps calling me and reassuring me and I want to believe him but I also want this all sorted out as soon as possible.

?I want to enjoy my win and start planning for future fights but it is tough at the moment. I know I won that fight and I know I earned that belt, the belt that he gave me in the ring after I beat that girl, and I am not giving it up.?

Potts shared Perozzi?s defiance.

?She is the world champion, all the girls that won that night are world champions.? Potts told

?This Moose guy has no authority to do what he is doing and say what he is saying. He is on a slippery slope, he is walking a narrow rope and his career is in the boxing cemetery.?

Potts claimed that Lewis is demanding money from him to pay for sanctioning but Potts is adamant he has proof that those monies were paid, claiming the row really is about television rights that Lewis wanted.

Although a deal had been signed, Potts claims he pulled out when he realised that Lewis was involved with the promotion company looking to sell rights to the fight as well as its sanctioning ? something he claims was illegal and that he and the Trinidad & Tobago Boxing Board of Control (TTBC) were uncomfortable with.

The Association of Boxing Commissioners has already declared Perozzi the champion but they are now awaiting a report from the TTBC, who are meeting tonight, and Lewis is still insisting that sanctioning fees have not been paid.

However the issue is resolved, the legitimacy of Perozzi?s WIBC belt has already been scarred ? through no fault of her own ? which diminishes from what should be a proud achievement for her.

Perozzi said last week that although she has had a lot of enjoyment from the fight game, she admits it is not something she would recommend to the next generation of wannabe female pugilists ? the events of the past 12 days make that admission all the more valid.

Neither the TTBC nor Lewis were available for comment yesterday.