– GBA to send fighters to South American Games, Continental Championship

THE Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will host its Andrew Lewis National Novices Championship from May 4 to 6 at the National Gymnasium, after shifting the event from April 26 to 29.

According to Steve Ninvalle, president of the GBA, the competition will see the return of the Republican Gym which was destroyed by fire during the infamous ‘Camp Street prison fire’ last year, and will feature newcomers Savannah Gym from Lethem and a gym from Mabaruma.

Ninvalle said that Suriname was also invited but the association indicated that boxers will not be able to make our Novices, instead requested that they come for our (GBA) National Intermediate later down this year,.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the defending champion of the GBA Novices Championship and action will punch off 19:00hrs nightly.

Tickets cost $1 000 for ringside, $500 for stands. Tickets purchased for the April dates are still valid.

Meanwhile, the GBA boss said Keevin Allicock and Colin ‘Superman’ Lewis, fresh from their excellent showing at the Commonwealth Games, will now head off to the May 28-June 8 South American Games in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

While Lewis advanced to the second round in the Commonwealth Games, his fate was similar to Allicock’s, the 2017 Youth Commonwealth Games silver medallist, who lost by split decision. Both fighters were victims of dubious judging at the games in the Gold Coast, but will now look to rebound against their South American counterparts.

Ninvalle highlighted that the South American Games will be used are part of the duo’s preparations for the Central American and Caribbean Games, which will be held in Colombia from July 20 to August 3.

Also, it was stated that lightweight Christopher Moore and flyweight Isiah Moore are earmarked to participate in this year’s American (AMBC) Youth American Confederation Boxing Championships, scheduled for Colorado Springs, USA, May 19-27.

Clifton Moore will serve as the coach, but the GBA president told Chronicle Sport that the team’s participation at the event will be subjected to the amount of funds garnered through sponsorship by the Association.