Saturday is the opening of the amateur programme that will be staged over three nights on weekends. The first card will be at the Christianburg basketball hardcourt in Linden, the second at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and finals at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Linden.

Organiser and sponsor Michael Carryl told Chronicle Sport that officials of USA Boxing would witness the finals to assess the level of boxers in Guyana to arrange the exchange between the two bodies.

In the first exchange some time in July, New York Metro boxers will visit Guyana and the following year, Guyanese boxers will go to the Big Apple and the exchange will continue in a similar fashion.

However, the focus will be on junior boxers who could develop during these exchanges.

The visiting officials will also assist in executing the finals in the upcoming championships, giving local officials a chance to have an insight into systems used in the USA.

USA boxing officials have already had an input in the boxing programme ventured by Carryl who is trying to promote the sport in Guyana. They conducted a seminar last November for referees, judges and timekeepers. After the course, an Under-16 card was staged to test the new skills learned.

Carryl said the course would place officials at the close to the annual boxing championships, rather than having to take officiating personnel from Georgetown to Linden which proved to be costly in the first championships last year.

But the road to this stage was not easy for Carryl who was born in Linden and has now embarked on giving fellow Lindeners a better chance of developing through boxing - the sport he loves.

Carryl started his project some six years ago but did not get to bring off the first championships until last year.

The former boxer and basketballer had handed over boxing equipment worth thousands of US dollars to the Mackenzie Sports Club, with the club just having to find a place for training. But nothing was done and Carryl eventually retrieved the piece of equipment that survived bad storage and theft.

Carryl rented a bottom house, partially renovated it to accommodate training, still nothing happened.

The boxing enthusiast did not give up, trying to stage a card in December of 2001 to whet the appetite of Lindeners for boxing. He provided the trophies and was standing the expense of staging it, with admission free to the public.

Arrangements were made for a ring, first with the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association then the National Sports Commission and Ministry of Sport, with relevant covering letters. However, the card did not come off because no ring was installed although the organiser was funding transportation to Linden.

Carryl responded by shipping material to have a ring fabricated then eventually the first Carryl Golden Glove championships took place during the Linden Town Day activities last April.

The organiser had to fund transportation, accommodation and meals for GABA officials to officiate in the two-night event.

Unfortunately, not many boxers from Linden participated, and the card was saved with the participation of boxers of the Guyana Defence Force gym.

However, Carryl is still pressing on in trying to make a difference by giving young people a chance for greater things in life through boxing.

Help is coming from his colleagues in USA Boxing and sponsors like Everlast, the world famous boxing equipment giants, who funded last November’s seminar.

Everlast again is assisting in the upcoming championships, with more sponsorship coming from Travel Span and Budget Car & Truck Rental in New York.