GABA to host referees/judges seminar, boxing competition this month

- seven boxers for T&T box off

Later this month the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) will conduct a referees/judges seminar, a boxing competition, and will also send a team of seven  boxers to Trinidad and Tobago for a box off.

President of GABA Steve Ninvalle made these disclosures yesterday during an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport.
According to Ninvalle, the referee/judges seminarwill be conducted on March 14 to 18 at the Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis gym by International Boxing Association (AIBA) certified senior referee/judge, Trinidadian James Beckles.

Ninvalle noted that the seminar which will be a follow-up  to last year’s seminar which was also hosted by Beckles is to target capacity building and to upgrade the knowledge of all local referees/judges. It will also provide certification for new applicants.

The GABA president highlighted that the association and the referees/judges will benefit from the seminar as the local standard of refereeing and judging will be improved.

Registration for the seminar will commence on Monday March 12 and the registration fee will be $2000.
Persons interested can contact GABA’s Tournament Coordinator Terrence Poole via telephone: 642-3785 or Kesa Chase: 627-1147 or 227-2645 for further information.

Ninvalle said further that on the last day of the seminar, a boxing competition will be hosted at the same venue.
The GABA boss also disclosed that from March 19 to 25 a team of seven boxers, including Imran ‘Magic’ Khan who is currently in Cardiff, Wales on an AIBA training camp stint, will compete in the twin island republic.

Ninvalle intimated that the Trinidad Amateur Boxing Association will be holding a box off in preparation for the London Olympic qualifiers in Rio de Janeiro in May and has invited local boxers to compete in the box off.

He revealed that Kevin Allicock (junior flyweight), Richard Williamson (flyweight), Imran ‘Magic’ Khan (bantamweight), Stephan Gouveia (lightweight), Laured Stewart (welterweight), Eon Bancroft (middleweight) and Markember Pierre (light heavyweight) will be the seven pugilists competing in the box off.

Keith Campbell will also be taking his upgraded knowledge from the seminar to Trinidad as a referee/judge while the team will be coached by Carl Franklin and James Walcott. The team manager will be Dexter Patterson.

During the interview Ninvalle also thanked DeSinco Trading and King Solomon Enterprises for their support of GABA.