Injured Jarvis quits amateur boxing board

INJURIES sustained in a major vehicular accident a year ago has forced president of the Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Boxing Association (TTABA) Mike Jarvis to quit his position. Newsday understands Jarvis’ deputy — boxing promoter Cecil Forde — has been elevated to the position of president. Jarvis said that although his health had much improved he was not considering coming back to the TTABA, citing the rigors of the job and his inability to give his optimum towards efficiently running the board.

Jarvis told Newsday yesterday that he was still receiving treatment for his injuries and is contemplating seeking specialised treatment abroad — either in the United States or Canada. Not afraid to mince words, Jarvis also said he had grown discouraged by what he termed — “The severe case of in-fighting in the organisation.” “I detest the constant bickering in the ranks of the organisation and feel those who have said so much against me should come to the fore and work in the interest of sports development,” Jarvis said.

He expressed the view, however, that he had done his best in his capacity as president, noting that during his tenure, the association just missed out on being the leading country behind Jamaica to capture the Caribbean Junior title recently. He made it clear his association had been focusing on the development of the sport and youth, which they were doing quite capably. “What I would like to see is all the youths in the so-called impoverished areas doing well in the sport.” Jarvis also said  his association had invested heavily in the development of the youth and they were well on course to achieving their goal was it not for the unfortunate accident. He lamented the loss of a number of young talented amateur boxers, killed before their future had started.

Only recently the Amateur Boxing Board through one of its promoters Tansely Thompson, honoured the families of four young boxers who were killed during the past four years. The popular promoter staged an eight-bout boxing card which carried the theme “Put down the Guns and pick up the Gloves.” And it was not strange that a number of talented boxers got the show on its way before a series of feature fights, one being between local boy Kirt Sinnette and a Guyanese boxer at the Jean Pierre Sports Complex. Jarvis was of the view that there is a need for young people, not only in the field of boxing to go forth, but from all other sporting disciplines. He said the lives of too many young individuals are wasted in our lawless society.