THE Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Rose Hall Town Jammers registered a win each on the opening night of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate Championships, which is currently underway at the National Gymnasium.

Only six bouts took place on Friday night, four of which were exhibition clashes.

In the Intermediate bantamweight division, 18-year-old Andrey Bess defeated GDF’s Jermaine Grant, while in the lightweight clash GDF’s Jerimiah Jackman gained a walkover victory against the Jammer’s Kellon Williams.

In the four exhibition bouts, 75% involved GDF boxers competing among themselves, while the other bout was between two Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) boxers.

Five gyms, including defending champions GDF, FYF, Jammers, Pocket Rockets and Ricola are competing in the three-night event.

Technical Director of the GBA, Terrence Poole, noted that some 33 boxers, two of whom are females, were scheduled to take the ring.

The bout between Abiola Jackman and a Pocket Rocket Gym boxer would take place tonight as well as several of the male weight-division finals.

Meanwhile Bess, who attends the New Amsterdam Technical Institute, was set to cheer on his gym mate Raphael Sebastian last night in another bantamweight bout, which could end with the two 18-year-old Berbice boxers reaching the final.

According to president of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, the association will next look to run off the National Open, as it prepares for its most difficult Caribbean Boxing Championships, scheduled for December 4-9 in Trinidad.

Ninvalle said that the Open, scheduled for later this month, would be used to select a large national squad to be encamped for at least a month to stand a chance against boxers from powerhouse nations such as Cuba (who have produced several World and Olympic champions), Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

The four Latin American nations were invited to the event this year.