Guyanese ready for AIBA World Boxing C/Ships in Serbia

Oct 23, 2021 Sports

By Sean Devers

Guyanese pugilists, Olympian Keevin Allicock and Desmond Amsterdam along with Coach Terrence Poole are in Belgrade, Serbia to compete at the 2021 AIBA World Boxing Championships which is being held in from October 24th to November 6th at Stark Arena.

The team of Keevin Allicock, Desmond Amsterdam and Terrence Poole were hosted by promoter Seon Bristol on their brief stopover in the USA. Here Bristol (left) pose with Team Guyana and World rated Bantamweight, Elton Dharry (4th left).

Guyana is among the 105 countries expected to compete at the event, which was moved from Delhi to Belgrade after the Indian capital failed to pay a host fee stipulated in the Host City Agreement.
There will be a total of 13 weight categories for the first time, following a category revision in August. A prize purse of US$2.6 million has been announced for the upcoming International Boxing Association (AIBA) Men’s World Boxing Championships in Belgrade.
Money will be awarded to boxers at the flagship event for the first time in AIBA’s largely amateur 75-year history, with gold medalists set to receive $100,000 (£72,000/€85,000) each.
Silver medalists will scoop $50,000 (£36,000/€42,000) while the two bronze medalists in each weight division will bank $25,000 (£18,000/€21,000).World champions such as Andy Cruz Gomez, Roniel Iglesias, Arlen Lopez and Julio La Cruz from Cuba are all on the entry list to compete, as is 2019 gold medalist Mirazizbek Mirzahalilov of Uzbekistan. Three-time world gold medalist Tsotne Rogava of Ukraine is set to compete.

Coach Poole flanked by Alklicock (left) and Amsterdam.

Coach Poole, the Technical Director of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) informed that team Guyana arrived in Serbia yesterday and it was mandatory that everybody had to do an Antigen and PCR test.“We got back our results, which were all negative while tomorrow (today) the Guyanese boxers will do their Sport entry check…this consist of uniforms check, Medical Certificate, the code of conduct being signed by them, the Anti-doping and Covid-19 documents also signed by them” informed Poole from Belgrade last evening.
Belgrade is 10 hours ahead of Guyana and tomorrow the Technical meeting and the official draw and the opening Ceremony will be held. “After the Official draw we will know who they would be coming up against. As it is, we know Allicock is in the 57kg category and Amsterdam 75kg category. What we don’t know is the amount of persons in each category as yet.
The guys are in bed (11:05pm there) catching their rest before we start our training in the morning (today)” Poole said. Poole said he was confident the boxer could do well and added the prize money is a great motivator for everyone so he expects a high level of competition.
The Event starts with a Grand Opening Ceremony at Stark arena in Belgrade.
“This will be a huge celebration of boxing,’ AIBA President Umar Kremlev claimed. ‘We want to show the whole world how united and strong the boxing family is. This event will be a highlight of the year for men’s competitions. We are looking forward to seeing our top athletes competing for the title of world champion.