THE Republican Gym will be going all out this weekend as they seek to challenge their arch-rivals the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), at the Guyana Boxing Association’s (GBA) National Intermediate Championships from tonight at the National Gymnasium, the actions will culminate on Sunday evening.

The championships was rebranded and named after former Commonwealth and National Champion Lennox Blackmoore in 2015. It will see the participation of the defending champions, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) along with their arch-rivals Republican Gym (Prisons) and other newcomers.

President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, had revealed that fighters from Regions 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are expected to exhibit their skills nightly from 19:30hrs.

He told Chronicle Sport; “This will lead into our National Open Championships in mid-November and from that tournament we will shortlist our national team for the Caribbean Championships, which will be held in Guyana from December 6 to 9.”

At last year’s GBA/Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate Championships, Kevin McKenzie (GDF) was adjudged Best Boxer in the Elite Class, while Forgotten Youth Foundation’s (FYF) Keevin Allicock was voted Best Boxer in the Youth category.

Of the eight Elite Class titles the GDF won, seven of them were all-GDF finals, while one of their boxers won against a member of debutant gym, Savannah Boxing Gym (SBG) of Lethem.

Blackmoore was 27 years old when he won Guyana’s first Commonwealth title, defeating Nigerian Johnathan Dele on points in Lagos in October 1977 to lift the lightweight title.

The skilful orthodox fighter made his professional debut at age 23 in 1974 and hung up his gloves 12 years later, with a record of 25 wins, 14 of which came via knockouts. He suffered five losses.

Today, Blackmoore is now a trainer in the USA where he resides.