Amateur boxers look for $61,000

THE AMATEUR Boxing Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ABA) are currently on an aggressive fund raising drive to send a full-strength national team to the Caribbean Championships in the Bahamas.

Yesterday Cecil Forde, vice-president of the ABA said they are currently $61,000 short of the $185,000 needed to take the 34-member team to the contest from April 20 to 27. Forde said the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs have generously contributed $94,000 while the ABA have solicited $30,000 from the business community so far. “So we are running out of time to get the rest of the funds if we are to have any realistic chance of making a clean sweep of the tournament this year,” said Forde.

He said the TT contingent will comprise, apart from the 22 boxers, 12 officials including referees and judges. They are Fitzroy Beckles, Errol Campbell, Dimitri Stroude along with coaches Gordon Hoyte, Anthony Waterman and Vincente Martinez. Dr Lincoln Harrison will accompany the squad also to attend to medical emergencies. “The judges and referees must go to test for their Caribbean Badge which is the first step for them towards attaining their Continental accreditation,” said Forde yesterday. Forde made an appeal to the busisness sector to assist in the venture which he said will go a long  way in providing opportunties in the sport for youngsters who come  mainly  from underprivileged backgrounds.

“We have some fighters from the orphanage and the Youth Training Centre while others we have taken off the street. But they are talented and have the will to attain the highest standards once we give them the means,” said Forde. He is optimistic the TT fighters will emerge victorious in the Bahamas after their recent sweep of the two cards against the visiting Martinique boxers last weekend at the Cosmic Gym in Marabella and the Lion’s Civic Centre in Siparia.

Forde said the boxers from Martinique have the strong support of their Government, having been transported to and from TT by a chartered plane. He said the boxers and officials are also handed a generous out-of-pocket allowance and afforded the best facilities to train. “They are off to France for another training and competitive stint in preparation for the Caribbean Championships. We can’t afford to do like them but we still manage to beat them so it is a good signal for the upcoming championships,” said Forde. He said the stiffest competition will come from home team Bahamas who apart from fielding the biggest contingent have a very ambitious programme to develop their amateur boxers.

“We are up against the odds but I am certain we will scale all obstacles and better our  achievement of the last championships when every one of our boxers came back with a medal. We will win the tournament this time,” said Forde. Today from 4 pm the amateurs bidding for places on the national teamn will get their last chance to impress the selection panel on a card at the Cosmic Gym in Marabella.