Trinidad boxing promoter, Boxu Potts, organizes historic training/certification course

Mar 26, 2017 Sports

Touts partnership with WBC to improve boxers’ fortunes

As boxing organizers continue to enact strategies towards the development of boxing in the Caribbean, popular boxing promoter/manager, Trinidadian, Boxu Potts, spearheaded an historic training/certification course that endeavors to improve the lot of professional boxers in the region.

Boxu Potts (extreme R) along with other officials just after the close of ceremony. He is joined by WBC’s Bob Yalen, former world champion, Eddie Mustafa Mohammad, referee, Joe Cortez and Will Boodhoo receiving their Level One Referee/Judge Certification from World Boxing Council.

The three-day event punched off last Monday morning in the VIP Lounge of the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, Trinidad and Tobago and concluded two days later where participants received Level One certificates in refereeing, judging, and coaching.
Activities were facilitated by top brass of the World Boxing Council (WBC), world renowned referee, Joe Cortez, former ESPN and ABC producer and expert statistician, Bob Yalen, former world champion, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad and WBC International referee/judge, Guyanese, Will Boodoo.
The occasion was also graced by Chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Commission (TBBC) Dr. Barry Ishmael, and fellow directors, Dr. Rochelle Mohammed and Terry Young. T&T Sports Minister Darryl Smith was notably absent and was represented by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs Ian Ramdahin.
The WBC officials said they were pleased to be in Port-of-Spain and relished the opportunity to pass on what knowledge they possessed to the eager participants.
Cortez, who has officiated in more than 160 world title fights and is now an analyst with ESPN, encouraged the participants to set their goals high and work hard.
He told them they had the ability to achieve those goals while aspiring to officiate in a world title match in the near future.
“But there may be some of you who may not want to be a referee, judge or coach; you can be an inspector, a position which necessitates working with officials to enforce the rules on fight night,” Cortez informed.
TBBC chairman Dr Ishmael hopes that the certification and training programme is ongoing so as to strengthen the development of the sport. He thanked the WBC and Potts for their support in ensuring the initiative is successful even as he confidently proclaimed that the benefits will redound to the nation in the short and long term.
Dr Ishmael also announced that along with the WBC programme, the TBBC has also launched an effort to enhance the infrastructure of gyms through a grant of up to $30,000, and provide boxing gear.
The WBC certification programme is aimed at developing a professional and amateur programme under the auspices of the TBBC and the WBC for coaching, regular competition and the upgrading of officials to service a local boxing industry.
Participants were exposed to theoretical and practical sessions in all aspects of the course curriculum, and the facilitators had subsequently evaluated their performance. Successful participants were issued with Level One certification and told that other levels will follow.
Kaieteur Sport spoke with Mr. Potts shortly after the curtains were drawn and he said that he was forced to collaborate with officials of the WBC because he has lost confidence in the ruling amateur body (IABA). He feels that the ruling body has neglected the interests of the territorial associations and that has inspired him to collaborate with the WBC to foster the requisite changes for Caribbean boxers. “There are more than 40,000 (amateur) boxers under the IABA umbrella yet a mere 2000 benefits from (IABA) largesse,” he pointed out. He said that IABA is not investing enough in the Caribbean and it was this reality that has caused him to collaborate with the WBC to realize his goals. “We are not confronting those officials; we are merely concerned about the large numbers of disenfranchised boxers in the Caribbean in whose lives we could make a positive difference,” he asserted.

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