Amateur Boxing’s ‘most important local event’ billed for this weekend

The Terrence Ali National Open Boxing Championship, serving a twofold purpose, is expected to engulf the National Gymnasium with exhilarating boxing action this weekend, running from January 17-19 at the Mandela Avenue venue.
Acting as both the culmination of the 2024 season and commencement of the 2025 season for the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), the event – which was postponed from its initial start date of December 12, 2024 – is expected to feature participation from notable gyms such as the Andrew ‘Six Heads’ Lewis Gym, Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF), Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the Guyana Police Force (GPF), New Amsterdam Academy, Pace and Power, Pocket Rocket, Republicans, Rose Hall, Vergenoegen, and Young Achievers.
Additionally, several of Guyana’s star pugilists on the amateur circuit are set to feature in this weekend’s action among whom are Desmond Amsterdam, Colin Lewis and Abiola Jackman.
Regarded by the GBA as the most important competition on the sport’s local calendar, the National Open will be the first major championship under the GBA umbrella since the unexpected passing of the entity’s long-serving technical director, Terrence Poole MS, on October 3rd, 2024.

  It will also be the first tournament for GDF without the services of Poole, who served in the capacity of head trainer and was directly responsible for their overall dominance on the local circuit. This will be a major angle and talking point as to whether GDF can maintain their hegemonic status.
“As the most important local event in our discipline, the Terrence Ali National Open Championship has the distinct honour of serving as the conclusion of the 2024 season and the beginning of the 2025 calendar of activities. The championship has historically functioned as a link or conduit between amateur and professional competitions, and its significance has appropriately increased with each iteration, given that it showcases the best of Guyana and provides an insight into our current and near future in the amateur or potential professional ranks,” GBA President Steve Ninvalle said about the upcoming event.
“In light of coach Terrence Poole’s recent death in October 2024, one of the main topics that will be covered and examined during the tournament is whether GDF can continue to dominate. Although everyone has experienced loss, boxing is a competitive sport, where losing a coach can be especially distressing. In contrast to team sports, where established roles offer a structure for continuity, boxing is often based on the intensely intimate and frequently complex bond between a trainer and his fighters. In addition to being a strategist, the coach serves as a confidante, mentor, source of inspiration and objective critical eye.”
The GBA Boss further shared, “Unquestionably, behind the success of every champion or successful pugilist is a dedicated team, and the coach is the central figure of that group, and in this case, the person who engineered their success. Terrence Poole has guided the GDF team to the top in his time. We will have to see how current champions carry on from here.”
The first bell in the Terrence Ali National Open will be sounded at 19:00hrs each night. The weigh-in session for the competing pugilists is scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday) at the same venue.