Time to revitalise amateur boxing
Says Michael DaSilva
Stabroek News
June 21, 2002
Judging from the standard displayed and the small number of boxers on show at the just concluded Guyana Amateur Boxing Association's (GABA) National Open Championships it will be fair to say that amateur boxing in Guyana is dying a slow death.
What used to be a week-long tournament that attracted thousands every night to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall has now been reduced to a two-night affair which is attended by the boxers themselves along with some parents and/or close friends.
The just concluded tournament attracted a mere 15 entries in the open category and 32 for the under-16 age group. As for spectators, there were a sprinkling.
Another cause for concern was the quality of refereeing and judging.
Unless the sport is given urgent attention, Guyana will be unable to field a team even for regional competitions.
Just about two years ago, approximately seven Georgetown gyms were active, but the just concluded championships attracted only three: the Guyana Defence Force, Harpy Eagles and the Forgotten Youth Foundation.
The GDF continues to dominate the sport and often have the most members on national teams. This has caused other gyms to loose its members to the dominant, more powerful army gym.
But all of this can change if more gyms are established around the country and those coaches who benefitted from the numerous coaching courses organised by the GABA, in collaboration with the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), volunteer their services.
A gym was established in Linden (Young Lions) by the late Commonwealth welterweight champion Andrew Murray but they were not represented at the championships.
It has been learnt that boxers from the gym (Young Lions) who are predominantly under-16 years of age wanted to compete in the last championships but were short on finance.
They were offered accommodation at the National Gymnasium.
It is hoped that with the construction of the Andrew 'Sixhead' Lewis Gym in Albouystown interest in the sport will grow among the youths in that community.
The GABA, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, can look at the possibility of resuscitating the gym at the New Opportunity Corps (NOC).
It will be remembered that just a few years ago, the NOC dominated the under-16 championships and also, many a national senior champion started their career while being incarcerated at the institution. Names that readily come to mind are; Lennox Beckles, Ivor 'Baba Simmons, Michael De Mattos and Clifford Vaughn, to name a few.
The National Sports Commission (NSC) can also play their part by employing a boxing coach. The NSC has been without a boxing coach since the departure of the late Courtney Atherley.
GABA president K Juman-Yassin speaking of the GABA's plans to use part of the National Gymnasium as a boxing centre said architect (Maxi Pereira) has submitted a drawing to executive president Bharat Jagdeo and sports minister Gail Teixeira over a year ago, but to date the GABA has not had a response.
"When you go to the minister (Teixeira), she says yes, yes, submit your plan, and when you do, nothing comes out of it," Yassin declared and added, "The president and minister might want to say now that the Andrew 'Sixhead' Lewis gym is good enough for the boxing centre and nothing will be done at the Mandela facility".
Speaking about the just concluded championships, Yassin said "it went well but there were a few hiccups. The only difficulty is there are not enough senior boxers and we have to wait for the under-16's to come of age. Some of them (under-16's) already have four or fights to their name and if they keep it up, by the time they reach of age they will have the necessary experience."
The time has come for the GABA together with the Ministry of Sports and the NSC to implement a strategic plan to revitalise the sport.