… Safety of boxer a priority – GBA boss

THE Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) announced a 31-member team to represent the country at this year’s Caribbean Boxing Championship (CBC) scheduled for December 6-9, at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall minus Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallist and Caribbean and National bantamweight champion, Keevin Allicock,

According to an article appearing in another section of the media on Wednesday, the talented, Allicock was not named in the 31-member team. Instead, Clairmont Gibson, a member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Boxing Gym was named as Guyana’s representative to contest the Elite Class bantamweight category.
President of the GBA yesterday confirmed that injury had forced the selectors to relieve the lightning-quick Allicock from national duties.

“The selectors are just following the doctor’s advice. Keevin had injured his right hand during the National Open and the doctor recommended that he rest for three weeks. We all would have loved to see Keevin battling for Guyana during the Caribbean Championships but, the safety and health of the boxer is our priority,” Ninvalle said.

“I am sure that he (Keevin) will return a stronger and better boxer,” the GBA boss added.
At the recently concluded Khalsan PR Inc.-sponsored Terrence Alli National Open Championship, Gibson drew a bye to the final and came face-to-face with Allicock, who caused the referee to stop the contest with one minute two seconds remaining in the first round, after pummelling Gibson with a series of one-two combinations, which caused the referee to issue Gibson with three standing eight counts before ending the lopsided contest.

Allicock won the Youth Commonwealth Games silver medal in July last year in the Bahamas and five months later moved up to the bantamweight division to win gold at the Caribbean Development Tournament in St Lucia.
According to a GBA release, Guyana will be represented by 10 Elite boxers, four Youth boxers, five Juniors, nine Novices, two Junior Women and one Novice Female at the Caribbean Championship.

This tournament, which was formerly known as the Caribbean Development Tournament, was first hosted here in Guyana in 2015 and for this 2018 edition, the team of coaches responsible for the Guyanese contingent is Terrence Poole, Sebert Blake, Clifton Moore and Gregory Cort.

Meanwhile, French Guiana and US Virgin Islands yesterday confirmed participation bringing the number of countries in the tournament to 11. Trinidad and Tobago will be fielding a team of 38, the largest contingent to the Championship.
The full Guyana team reads (ELITE) Richard Subratee (49kg), Seon Griffith (52kg), Gibson (56kg), Jamal Eastman (60kg), Colin Lewis (64kg), Emanuel Sancho (64kg), Desmond Amsterdam (75kg), Markember Pierre (81kg), Aubrey Headley and Shamear Mingo (91kg).

(YOUTH) Irfan Tiwari (49kg), Shaquille Wright (Christopher Moore (64kg) and Jevon Thomas 975kg).

(JUNIORS) Richard Howard (46kg), Francis Sukhu (52(kg), Christopher Romeo (57(kg), Mar5k Crawford (60kg) and Kevin Mulling (66kg).

(NOVICES) Julius Kesney (52kg), Clinton Clarke (56kg), Delroy Fordyce (60kg), Kevin McKenzie (64kg), Quincy Boyce (60kg), Alex Murray (75kg), Astion Niles (81kg), Sheakeal Damon and Emmerson Farley (91kg).

(JUNIORS, WOMEN) Alesha Jackman (featherweight) and Abiola Jackman (light middleweight).

(NOVICES, WOMEN) Debra Vanderstoop (heavyweight).