Good showing for GBA this year as competition ends, Ninvalle looks for better 2023

Dec 21, 2022 Sports

Kaieteur News – The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Terrance Ali National Open Boxing Championship brought an end to all statuary competition for amateur boxing in Guyana on Sunday 18^th December, 2022. The competition ended in fine style with a thrilling finish courtesy of Troy Glasgow, knocking out his opponent in the 2^nd round of the match, fans were given a ‘jaw-dropping’ performance in the final match of the competition.

The year of 2022 has been an exceptional and rewarding year for boxing here locally, whereby the GBA was able to bounce back wonderfully, hosting all three statuary competitions for the year after the recent pause to competitions due to Covid 19. The Association was also able to send our boxers to several international competitions, overseas. With Desmond Amsterdam being the first Guyanese boxer to bring home two bronze medals after competing in the American Elite Boxing Championship (AMBC).

GBA President Steve Ninvalle (2nd left) shares a light moment with (from left) Surinamese-Samuel Greene, Keevin Allicock and Seon Bristol at the just concluded event.

In addition to that, Desmond Amsterdam along with Keevin Allicock, Joel Williamson, Jamal Eastman, Colin Lewis, Triston Browne, Aluko Bess, Emmanuel Pompey and Troy Glasgow all received Gold medals. We also saw Terrance Poole, coach of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Boxing Gym, retaining the Best Gym Award, while Sebert Blake coach of Forgotten Youth Foundation collected the runners-up trophy at the Terrance Ali National Open Boxing Championship presentation.

In height of competition, boxers and coaches applauded the initiative of the GBA for their commitment to financially compensate every Elite Boxer that would have received either Gold, Silver or Bronze medal in the year’s competition. This initiative was the first of its kind in the entire English-speaking Caribbean, with Guyana Becoming the first country to compensate their amateur boxers at any single event.

According to the President of the GBA Steve Ninvalle, “Guyana has always been at the fore-front as it relates to amateur boxing among Caricom states, starting with the School boys and Junior tournaments, the association is pleased to have initiated these financial awards here in Guyana.” He continued by saying, “these rewards will only increase over time.”

However, he remains hopeful that this approach transcends across the Caribbean, where we can see more countries coming on board by introducing financially rewards at amateur competition. Exponentially our neighbours; Trinidad and Tobago have already given the thumbs-up to this initiative, confirming that they also will be implementing monetary rewards to their competition next year. So already this initiative has proven to be a success.

The GBA promises that, they will continue engaging with all stakeholders, referee/judges, coaches and also boxers in the attempt to keep their ‘air tight’ commitment to the continued growth and success of all local competition. There are much in-store for boxing in Guyana and fans can look forward to bigger and better competition within a matter of two-three years.

In closing, the GBA as they look forward to the year of 2023 with much enthusiasm, there are a number of overseas tournaments our local boxers is expected to be part of in 2023, starting as early as January in Morocco, as well as the Women’s World Boxing Championship and also the Men’s World Boxing Championship to be held in Takht-i-Bahi, Pakistan. The GBA also expects the return of our Cuban Coach Francisco Roldan, which is good for our local boxers and a host of other things. So there is definitely much to look forward to in the year of 2023, according to the President of the GBA.