Army in regional boxing championship

Revelation of this came at yesterday’s launch at the Regiment’s Head-quarters on Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, in which officials of the Defence Force told of the reasons why they got involved in the sport and their aim.

President of the Ama-teur Boxing Association (ABA) Cecil Forde said the gesture was made by the Jamaican Regiment when they heard that the sport had been re-introduced into the Defence Force of Trinidad and Tobago.

He said the Regiments of the different islands have already been in-formed of the gesture and it was up to the TT Defen-ce Force to decide if it will take part.

Strangely the TT De-fence Force was the only one in the region that did not have the sport as a form of recreation.

The launch also highlighted this Saturday’s regional boxing card in which members of the Defence Force will have their first form of competitive boxing at their base at Camp Ogden, Long Circular Road, St James.

The ten-bout card will include five professional and amateur bouts with Commonwealth and Pan American Games silver medallist Kertson Mans-well and his compatriot Kirt Sinnette as well as many other local fighters on show. And officials of the Defence Force have also arranged special prizes for supporters with the first 500 paying patrons having a chance to win a whopping $100,000 cash prize on the night.

Manswell is expected to take on Guyana’s Mitchell Rogers while Sinnette will have a date with another Guyanese fighter in Delroy Hender-son in a scheduled six round bout.

American Anthony Os-bourne will also feature among the bouts on the night, when he takes on Waldron Brooks.

Trinidadian-based Guyanese Iwan "Pure Gold" Azore will also have a clash with Michael Springer while Sean Corbin will meet Trevor Greaves in another major bout on the night.

Members of the De-fence Forcet will also be among the fighters on the card as well as some of the local boxers who represented Trinidad and Tobago at the recent Caribbean Amateur Box-ing Championship.

Among them will be 14-year-old Ronaldo At-kinson who won a gold medal at the championships.

Officials also made it clear that there will be a women bout on the card.

Forde told the gathering that the introduction of the sport of boxing in the Defence Force will, among other things, assist in the reduction of crime in the nation.

He added that it comes on the heels of the implementation of the sport at the nation’s schools, from which indiscipline and violent misconduct can also be eradicated.

According to Forde, the Teteron Barracks can also be used by members of the national boxing team as a camp before major cards.

Kernel Ricardo Garcia already made it clear that the Army has agreed to the construction of a multi-purpose facility to field many sporting activities.

He stated further that, on the proposal of Corporal Reynold Cox who has been mandated to overseer boxing at the Defence Force, the Army has agreed to host a number of referees and judges courses to ensure that all goes well.

He said plans are already in place for the utilisation of a boxing gym at the Teteron Bar-racks, courtesy Cox, who he said has gone full speed ahead in allocating equipment for the cause.

Tansely Thompson boxing manager and promoter told the gathering that the sport has been used in North America to curb the rise in violent crimes.

He added that in Trinidad, it is already having a positive effect.

He claim that from his work with the Amateur Boxing Association, they have been successful in getting young budding boxers from the St Michael Home and the Youth Training Centre into the programme.

He praised young Atkinson who has been an inspiration for the nation’s youths.

He noted the young boxer has been doing quite well in school and has worked hard in the sport — hence his success at the Caribbean championships.

Secretary of the Profes-sional Boxing Board Molly Boxill said she is confident that the introduction of the sport to the Defence Force will curb crime nationally.

She added that she also expects to see a member of the Army being regional and national boxing champion when competition comes up.

Kernel Garcia of the Regiment told the media that the sport is being used to enhance the discipline in the Army.

He noted also that it will, apart from provide a form of additional entertainment, it will also assist interested persons hoping to serve the public of Trinidad and Tobago, as an Army personnel.