Boxing recruits eye Olympic medals

Coach Neil Welch said he has discovered two extremely talented boxers in the Schools Boxing Programme, organised by the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA). They are 14-year-old Quincy Wilson of Belmont Junior Secondary School and 15-year-old Abigail Garcia of Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive, both of whom he says are capable of reaching the top of the ladder.

Coincidentally both fighters have got two things in common — they both want to become professional fighters and come from socially depressed areas of Trinidad and Tobago. Wilson resides in Prizgar Lands, Laventille and Garcia lives in neighbouring Sea Lots and they also share a desire to be the best boxers in TT.

Welch feels that in-house training will assist in the development of the fighters. He is urging government to fund programmes to help the youngsters of the nation saying it is a means of fighting the escalating crime rate. He pointed out that the training, where the boxers can go to for weeks and sometimes months for developmental purposes at the government’s expense, is being done in Marabella at the Cosmic Boxing Gym.

Welch is calling for similar programmes throughout Trinidad and Tobago to incorporate boxers in districts from Toco to Carenage. At the camps the boxers are given a stipend for their upkeep by government and are allowed to go to school during the daytime.

Welch said the arrangement is common in neighbouring islands, and in particular Cuba which is the home of boxing in the Caribbean. He said arrangements have been made with schools, the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs and the Ministry of Education for the young boxers to be given additional tutoring on days when they will be leaving school to go for training.

He said Garcia has been blessed with tremendous punching power while Wilson has great strength at 220 pounds and six-feet four-inches. Wilson said he gained encouragement by looking at former heavy weight champion Mike Tyson and local champ Kertson Manswell.

He said although he does not want to replicate Tyson’s boxing style, he admires his powerful punching. Wilson has the support of his mother Mary Wilson who says she is backing her son in pursuit of his boxing dreams.

She told Newsday that she spends her money to ensure that her son receives proper schooling on weekends and although it will take more out of her with the boxing programme, she welcomes the challenge of monitoring and managing his schooling and sporting life. Welch likens Wilson’s extreme aggression to that of Tyson. He feels that with proper training, Wilson, who is getting his first taste of boxing through the programme, can rise to the top.

Garcia said she was attracted to the sport by learning about boxing legend Muhammad Ali and his daughter Laila Ali. She feels that her training will also help her defend herself against violent attacks, but most of all she aims to write her name in the record books of Trinidad and Tobago. Welch says that he will train her like a male boxer, since he feels that the local female boxers are under-prepared for big fights.