Ex-champ Stewart wants to find TT’s next boxing star

The programme, which was launched yesterday at the South East Port of Spain Boxing Gym on Picadilly Street in Port of Spain, will have its first fight card on July 1 at the Cosmic Boxing Gym in Marabella.

Stewart says he is here to bring boxing back to life in TT .

“We are trying to revive boxing once again in Trinidad and Tobago at the professional level. It has been lacking over the years.

Since my return here to Trinidad and Tobago, I have seen some fighters who have the ability and the talent, they just need a little more developing and a little bit of experience.” Stewart was this country’s second ever world boxing champion after Claude Noel.

Stewart won the World Boxing Association (WBA) light heavyweight crown in 1987, defeating Marvin Johnson of USA at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain.

Stewart believes this country has the talent to develop another world champion.

Stewart said, “I would like to develop the fighters and help them be a part of their growth as professionals. Trinidad and Tobago has a lot of talent that can be developed into strong professionals. They could compete internationally and maybe one day again we can produce a world champion in WBA, WBC (World Boxing Association) or IBF (International Boxing Federation).

My role will be as a coach to help and assist in any way possible.” Shanda Deo-Bickaroo of the Cosmic Boxing Gym is hoping that boxers in TT can make a living from boxing. “Our first step is to get the athletes working on a regular basis every month.

This would give them a regular pay day, allowing them to have some assistance to aid in their preparation for other fights.” President of the TT BA Cecil Forde, says local boxers must progress to the professional level.

Forde said, “We at the Trinidad and Tobago Association consider ourselves the nursery of boxing in the country. The young boxers develop their skills through the amateur boxing association.

However, at a certain time there must a vibrant professional boxing league.”