The Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) sanctioned two new boxing gyms in Essequibo this past Friday, continuing with its venture to establish multiple gyms countrywide to develop the sport.

President of the Iman Bacchus Boxing Association Adil Baksh thanks President of the GABA Affeeze Khan (centre) while members of GABA and the newly opened gym share the moment.

Now registered under GABA are the Imam Bacchus Boxing Academy in the village of Affiance and the Charity Amateur Boxing Association located in Charity.

President of GABA Affeeze Khan said that the association’s main focus is to establish ten new boxing gyms throughout the country and he was set to visit Bartica, the Mackenzie Sports Club and Lethem in an effort to spark interest in the sport in those areas.

Khan along with other honorary members of the association who visited Essequibo, presented the gyms with boxing equipment which included gloves, head and mouth guards, groin protectors, hand pads and punching bags.

The gear was donated by the Chinese Embassy and the British High Commission. Along with extending his gratitude to those two entities, Khan made special mention of AH&L Kissoon, which has continually supported the association and has donated punching bags to all the boxing gyms.

CEOs of Imam Bacchuss & Sons Ltd, Adam and Sam Bacchus, also played a major role in the founding of the gyms.

Meanwhile, the association hathe upcoming Caribbean Games in July where a team is set to participate in each of the eleven categories. The team has been in preparation for about s been preparing for two months with training sessions twice a day at least three times a week with national coach Clifton Moore.