… Over 70 boxers from Guyana and the Caribbean vie for supremacy

OVER 70 boxers from Guyana and the English-, French- and Dutch-speaking Islands of the region will punch off tonight when the Caribbean Boxing Championship gets underway at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).

According to president of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle, up to yesterday 76 boxers from 12 countries/islands have been registered, including 31 from the host country, Guyana, making this year’s tournament the largest ever.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday at the Tower Suites, Director of Sport Christopher Jones informed media representatives present that the National Sports Commission (NSC), the Ministry of Social Cohesion and by extension, the government of Guyana will be sponsoring transportation for the various teams, the meals and support the accommodation costs for those teams who will be part of the championship that concludes on December 9 (Sunday).

Ninvalle said as of yesterday, boxers from Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, Suriname, Guadeloupe, Cayman Islands, French Guiana, US Virgin Islands Antigua, Grenada and Sintt Maarten have registered their boxers for the tournament which punches off at 18:00hrs tonight. Spectators will have to pay $500 for stands and $1 000 for ringside.

Ninvalle said that to date, the National Sports Commission, Trustees Pawn Shop, Maggie’s and Demerara Distillers Limited are among the sponsors for the event.

Jones said that the Government of Guyana is proud of what Ninvalle, as head of the GBA, has been doing for the sport over the years and had no hesitation in supporting him and his association’s efforts to promote the sport at all levels.

Speaking on behalf of the Guadeloupe contingent, team manager Omar Grumbs said he and his charges are elated to be a part of the championship and he is confident that the French-speaking island will win a few medals.

Stewart O’Conner, manager/coach of the Cayman Islands’ lone boxer, a female, said he is also elated that the Cayman Islands have been invited to be a part of the championship, but like the US Virgin Islands, his hometown is now recovering from two tropical storms that wreaked havoc in the region recently.

According to Ninvalle, the total cost of hosting the championship is $8.5M.