Amateur boxing poised to take off

CECIL FORDE, vice-president of the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) of Trinidad and Tobago has  declared that the sport is poised to take off with several new initiatives already in motion. He said yesterday that despite numerous setbacks and unwarranted criticisms the ABA are going ahead with plans to take the sweet science forward, beginning next weekend. Forde announced that amateur boxing will again play a major role in the annual Southern Games which will be staged on March 12 and 13 at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre. “Last year the competition was staged at the Cosmic Gym in Marabella but we are going to the venue of the Southern Games this year at Pointe-a-Pierre,” said Forde. Six exciting bouts are planned with the possibility of three kick-boxing matches which will be on Friday, March 11, starting at 8 pm, one day before the games which will feature track and field, cycling and archery on the Saturday and Sunday.

In the main bout of the amateur card Richard Straker matches fists with Nigel Edwards in the 175- lb class. The following Thursday (March 17) three amateur bouts are also planned on a Pro-Am card being staged by Tansley Thompson at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain. The card features top Trinidad and Tobago pugilists against their Barbados counterparts with undefeated rising middleweight Kirt Sinnette against Leon Harris. Forde said two days later, another card is planned for Cosmic Gym in Marabella when the simon pures will be in action again sharpening their skills. “We are hoping to give them as much opportunities to fight leading up to the National Championships which will be especially important since the outstanding boxers will be selected to take part in the Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association (CABA) Championships,” said Forde yesterday.

The CABA contest, in which Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana tied for the top spot last year in Port-of-Spain will be held in St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands from June 18 to 25. Forde said Trinidad and Tobago intend to send a full complement of 18 boxers and eight officials to the CABA Championships in an effort to retain the senior honours. The National Championships, he revealed will be held on three consecutive days — March 24, 25 and 26—  in Princes Town and sponsored by the Princes Town Regional Corporation. On another front Forde said efforts to introduce boxing in secondary schools are moving apace with the enrollment of several schools, including “prestige” institutions in the programme. “I am certain that next year we will have an Intercol boxing competition on a national scale.

This is our intention which we hope to realise,” said Forde. The effort, which is aimed at curbing school violence, indisclipine and trauncy in the system has the blessings of both the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs and the Ministry of Education. The ABA, Forde said, will also be sending a female boxer to the Pan American Women’s Championship from March 28 to April 2 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Chosen to represent Trinidad and Tobago is Leeann Boodram of the Phoenix Gym in Barrackpore. Boodram is a two-time Caribbean champion in the 105-lb (light flyweight) category and has also won the national championship three times. And not left out of the frenetic boxing action is top referee/judge Corporal James Fitzroy Beckles who recently conducted a course in Hamilton on the invitation of the Bermuda Amateur Boxing Association.

The course was conducted with the approval of the Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association Secretariat who recognised Beckles as a foremost official in the Caribbean —  one of only three certified international standard referees. Cpl Beckles is also scheduled to travel to Argentina for the Pan American Women’s Championship where he will receive instructions on the operation of the new scoring machines which are being introduced by the International Amateur Boxing Association (IABA). He will also take receipt of one of only two of the Brazilian manufactured machines being allocated to the Caribbean. Barbados is the other country allocated the scoring machine.