The Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis Gym in Albouystown will be a hive of activity today, when the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) resumes its monthly under- 16 championships.
Dubbed the “Pepsi Michael Parris Competition”, these championships, usually held twice per month, are the linchpin of the GBA’s developmental strategy. Besides pugilists drawn from the Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis Gym, those from notable gyms such as Pace and Power, Pocket Rocket, Rose Hall Jammers, New Amsterdam Academy, Bailey, Vergenoegen, and Forgotten Youth Foundation feature prominently in these championships.
GBA President Steve Ninvalle
“The developmental process of the GBA is an ongoing project that will continue to evolve and develop with each iteration and year. The U-16 program is the most important step in the entirety of our developmental efforts. It’s our nursery, and has laid the foundation for our continued success at the regional level,” GBA President Steve Ninvalle has said.
According to Ninvalle, “The success of this programme is undeniable, given our record in the Caribbean School Boys and Juniors Boxing Championships, an event that has been dominated by Guyana since its inception in 2016. That dominance and overall success of the nation is a testament to the fruits that are being reaped via the implementation and constant evolution of this initiative, which has become a benchmark within the Caribbean.”
Revealing that continued investment would go into this aspect of boxing, given its role and importance in sustaining the sport, Ninvalle has said, “We believe that this is the most effective way of unearthing and eventually developing talents that possess the requisite skills and ability to achieve regional and international success and acclaim.”
