Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:25 AM
Jan 07, 2015 Sports
By Michael Benjamin
Each sport has its distinct jargon that distinguishes it from others and boxing is no different. During pre-fight press conferences, boxers have
threatened to take their opponents into the deep and drown them. This has absolutely nothing to do with swimming but paradoxically speaks to testing their opponents’ fitness level.
Another popular jargon, ‘The third guard’ refers to a scenario where blows are raining (especially to a particular boxer’s midsection) and he raises his thighs to stem the flow since his hands alone cannot effectively do the job.
It is this term that I would aptly choose to describe the fortunes of executives of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) in their efforts to improve the fortunes of their charges over the preceding year.
Amateur boxing has had its glory days and this could be attributed to the input of both executives and boxers; the former group creates the opportunities while the latter rigidly conforms to training schedules and other initiatives enacted by their administrators.
GBA administrators experimented with several ploys all aimed at all round development while maintaining the structures that earned the sport, and by extension, Guyana, the reputation of most feared Caricom country; a tab inadvertently relinquished over the years.
The partnership forged between the Demerara Distillers Ltd and the GBA where the nursery received
adequate attention, could be said to have borne fruit and it was indeed refreshing to see several junior pugilists, mostly out of the impoverished Albouystown community flexing their muscles and developing within the confines of the law.
The senior boxers were also called to national duty in the locally staged Tri-Nation Goodwill tournament in February and a similar venture in Barbados early the following month. Local pugilists also enjoyed further international exposure when the GBA fielded a three man team to compete against a strong squad out of St Lucia in a three nights Goodwill tournament from March 28-30. Those selected for national duties were Ron Smith (69kgs), Delon Charles (56kgs) and Bert Braithwaite (64kgs). The only boxer to suffer losses was Braithwaite who fought St Lucian, Lyndell “The Russian” Marcellin, thrice but lost all of the bouts. Despite these loses, Braithwaite fought like a tiger and certainly gave local boxing executives hope for his future. Charles and Smith also turned in good performances and endorsed the confidence of local executives.
Dennis Thomas (75kgs), Eon Bancroft (69kgs) and Theresa London (75kgs) all enjoyed tours to Cuba
and/or Chile at the South American Games and Cuba at the Macedo Cardova championships.
Maybe, the most significant achievement of the Steve Ninvalle administration was the introduction of the sport to other regions as well as the various communities in Georgetown and other rural communities.
As such, boxers fought before appreciative crowds at tournaments staged in East Ruimveldt, Albouystown and even in Buxton ECD. Amateur pugilists also engaged their counterparts in tournaments held in Berbice, Bartica and even as far as Mahdia. Some talent has been unearthed in Bartica and Berbice and approximately three gyms in the Ancient County are now vibrant and participating in the GBA calendar of events. Those gyms are Pocket Rocket Boxing Gym, Rose Hall Jammers and to a lesser extent, Central Boxing Gym.
Least one should forget, amateur boxers also engaged their counterparts out of Mahdia and though this particular initiative is yet to gain firm traction, a high interest level has been established and with perseverance local boxing administrators may just formalize activities this year.
Earlier, I’d mentioned the ‘third guard’ concept, this to highlight the challenges faced by GBA executives that’s forcing them to institute strange measures to address their mandate. One wonders aloud at the input of the Sports Ministry especially after the Minister had requested a projection of programmes for the next few years and the GBA had been compliant. The ‘Road to England’ has been rocky and none of our boxers finished the journey. The ‘Road to Brazil’ now seems to be fraught with danger as, despite the stringent efforts of the GBA executive and their acquiescence to the Sport Minister’s bidding, nothing has really changed.
One year before the Brazil Olympiad and there is really little hope of a tangible input to effect the necessary changes to improve the fortunes of local pugilists. There have been noticeable efforts on the part of the GBA executive on every front to promote the advancement of the sport; the elevation of coach Sebert Blake to level three after a stint in Cuba, his acquisition of a Diploma in coaching in Hungary, the establishment of a coach’s commission, also headed by Blake, a referees/judges commission, headed by Romona Agard, Coach, Clifton Moore’s trip to Mexico to enhance his knowledge base late last year, all commendable initiatives of the Ninvalle led GBA.
Amidst it all Mr Ninvalle survived the vicissitudes and led from the front. His efforts were rewarded after he managed to clinch a position as an Executive Committee Member of the World Amateur Boxing Association when that organization held its Congress in South Korea last November.
It has been a commendable year for amateur boxers even as they ‘covered up’ from the ‘blows’ of meagre funds and inadequate corporate intervention. The expectation of better circumstances might seem vague but boxers don’t pack pity with their gears and expect nothing less from their executives. The ‘punches rained in bunches’ last year but the GBA executive took the mandatory count and battled on. The year has just begun and local pugilists will have to dig in to whip themselves in shape for the Brazil forum. The missing ingredients that compromised the quality of their performance must be a part of the mix this year. Mr Ninvalle must press on with the requisite innovations; commendations must be extended to him for his steadfast leadership. Take a bow Mr President!
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