Latest update February 1st, 2025 5:00 AM
Patrick Forde Memorial Championship on February 19
– 11 International Bouts on the card
Kaieteur News – The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) in collaboration with McDonald Promotions are bringing International boxing back to the National Gymnasium on February 19, when they host the 2023 edition of the Patrick Forde Memorial Championship.
St. Lucia’s Nikaela Khodra
The one-day event will be the first international sporting venture staged on local shores for 2023 for any discipline, as it will attract participation from Barbados, Suriname, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The covid-19 pandemic was the reason for the event’s absence, with the previous iteration being staged in 2019 and only featuring international participation in the form of Suriname.
While a total of 15 bouts are scheduled, 11 international fights are confirmed for the night’s proceedings, with the emerging school boys division, which is the nursery of the GBA, also expected to feature albeit in a local capacity.
The competition will also mark an important resumption of female international boxing, as rising stars and siblings Alisha and Abiola Jackman will return to the squared circle in preparation for the IBA Women’s World Championship in New Delhi, India from March 15-31 2023.
It will be Alisha’s first taste of international combat, while this will be Abiola’s reappearance on the international circuit since winning gold at the 2019 Caribbean Championship in Trinidad and Tobago.
Meanwhile, Sportsman of Year, GBA Boxer of the Year, and highest-ranked local IBA pugilist [on 23] Desmond Amsterdam will headline the international section which will also feature Junior Commonwealth Silver medalist Keevin Allicock and Colin Lewis.
GCB President Steve Ninvalle
According to information emanating from the GBA, public interest in the tournament is at a zenith, as tickets that were initially available have been sold out, which is indicative of the sport’s growing momentum and direction.
The prestigious competition is staged in honour of the late pugilist, who etched his name in the annals of Guyana’s boxing history by becoming the first Guyanese to contest for the world title under the Golden Arrowhead. In his first attempt at international glory, Forde lost a contentious bout to Mexican Salvador Sanchez for the World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight title on September 13, 1980.
Forde who captured the WBC Fecarbox title and Commonwealth featherweight championship lost his second bid at international glory at the hands of Eusebio Pedroza of Panama. He ended his career with an impressive 23-fight record of 19 wins and four defeats.
Forde who was the brother of pugilist Reginald Forde passed away in 2011 at the age of 55.
The official international fight card
- Jamal Eastman (GUY) vs Domelzo Schet (SUR)
- Qunice Boyce (GUY) vs Richard Evert (SUR)
- Nikaela Khodra (STL) vs Leeann Boodram (T&T) (FEMALE)
- Brian Harris (GUY) vs Jaden Castillano (T&T)
- Alesha Jackman (GUY) vs Shawnelle Hamid (T&T) (FEMALE)
- Joel Williamson (GUY) vs Jeremiah Toussaint (BAR)
- Colin Lewis (GUY) vs Nathan Debesette (T&T)
- Abiola Jackman (GUY) vs Kamara Stuart (BAR)
- Keevin Allicock (GUY) vs Samuel Greene (SUR)
- Troy Glasgow (GUY) vs Leandro Dongo (SUR)
- Desmond Amsterdam (GUY) vs Nickelle Joseph (T&T)
- Abiola Jackman, Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), McDonald Promotions, Nikaela Khodra, Patrick Forde Memorial Championship
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