THE Guyana Amateur Boxing Association has commenced plans to stage the second edition of the Goodwill Boxing Games. The president of the association Steve Ninvalle said yesterday that the projection is to have at least six countries participate in the competition which is scheduled for February 2015. 

“We have started talking to potential partners. Our intention is to have a much bigger Goodwill next year. It is my hope that it will become an annual event of our calendar where we can see many of our Caribbean brothers show off their skills here,” Ninvalle said.
The first Games were held in February of this year at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall with the hope of it evolving into a competition that would involve all Caribbean territories. Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and St Lucia participated in the inaugural event.
The Guyana Olympic Association was the main sponsor, with assistance from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, COURTS and Ansa McAl. Ninvalle said that it is expected that Barbados and at least one of the French-speaking territories will participate next year.
“Earlier in the year we spoke to both Martinique and Guadeloupe and they have shown interest,” Ninvalle said. The GBBA boss added that registration would commence in December.
At the last competition Guyana were crowned champions after grabbing the lion’s-share of the gold medals as bantamweight Delon Charles, lightweight Imran Khan, light welterweight Bert Braithwaite, welterweight Eion Bancroft, middleweight Dennis Thomas and female middleweight Theresa London all struck gold.
Thomas and London received Best Boxers awards.