Tigers’ boxing men in verbal clash

ANGRY words were exchanged at the Prince Street-based Tigers Boxing Gym between the owner Gordon Hoyte and one of Manswell’s boxing coaches Winston Cox.

His other boxing coach is Cuban, Vicente Martinez. Cox claimed in a recent Newsday interview that the Sports Ministry has been indifferent to the hardships which Manswell faces daily with his amateur boxing career thus far. He argued  he and his fighter have been forced to sleep at the gym despite being promised proper living accomodation, but to date this has not materialised. Said Cox: “When Manswell came back from the Commonwealth Games last year, he was promised by the Ministry of Sport that he’d be getting somewhere to live but up to today not one thing has been done for the silver medallist.” But Hoyte was visibly disturbed with Cox’s criticism of the Sport  Ministry and vehemently refuted his assertions about Manswell’s alleged shoddy treatment. He said the Ministry and the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) have been helping Manswell with the development of his boxing programme.

The gym owner said the Sports Ministry has also been providing financial assistance to Manswell to enable him to go the Pan American Games. Said Hoyte: “It’s unfair to make that kind of statement about the Ministry of  Sport because they have assisted him.” When interviewed by Newsday, in between his rigorous regimen, Manswell confirmed that the Sports Ministry has been assisting him with his pugilistic training. “Everything to date with my success is through them and I give special thanks to the Honourable Minister of  Sport, Roger Boynes, for all that he’s been doing for me,” said Manswell.  “I also apologise for the newspaper story that appeared and I want the nation to know that I had nothing to do with it,” he added. He ended by saying that he has no immediate plans to become a professional fighter because he’s concentrating on doing well in the forthcoming Pan American and Olympic Games. “That’s (Pan Am) my main priority and after that, then I’ll turn pro.” Manswell won the heavyweight gold medal and the heavyweight championship belt at the recently concluded Caribbean Amateur Boxing Championships (CABC). He also got the silver medal at last year’s Commonwealth Games held in Manchester, England.