GUYANA Amateur Boxing Association’s (GABA) Olympic hopeful, Imran ‘Magic’ Khan suffered a huge blow to his dreams of competing at this year’s London Olympics, when he lost his fight to Argentina’s Alberto Melian at the Olympic Box-off in Brazil last Sunday. According to a GABA press release, Khan contracted a virus that caused vomiting and a heavy cold, resulting in treatment with a saline injection, thus he was unable to perform to the best of his ability, hence the loss to the home team pugilist.
Bert Braithwaite also suffered a loss, going under to St Lucia’s Marcellin Lyndel, while Stefan Gouveia kept the Golden Arrowhead flying proudly with his win over Teofilo Jeronimo of Honduras that landed him a quarter-final place at the Box-off.
However, in order for Gouveia to make it to London, he would need to get past Eduar Marriaga of Colombia whom he meets today.
In an invited comment with Chronicle Sport, GABA president Steve Ninvalle said that while Khan lost his Box-off match, he still thinks he is as good as any fighter in the Caribbean.
“I still think Imran (Khan) is a good boxer, but the element of illness which plagued him before his bout, plagued his chances of putting his best foot forward.
“While we were hoping that Khan, due to the exposures he underwent before the box-off, would have gone on to the Olympics, we must remember that there were two other boxers in Bert Braithwaite and Stefan Gouveia who were members of the team too,” said Ninvalle.
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) Parliamentary Secretary added, “This is not about Khan alone, but the amateur boxing fraternity of Guyana.
“We have Bert and Stefan there and with Bert losing his bout, our hopes rest on young Stefan who will be carrying the whole of Guyana on his shoulders when he fights tomorrow (today) with a win guaranteeing him a place at the Olympics.”
Ninvalle extended best wishes to Gouveia in his bout today and urged all Guyana to rally around the pugilist, as he seeks to bring further glory for the country.