Next Generation in focus as GBA readies for busy year

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) is anticipating a busy 2025, and amidst it all, the next generation of boxing talent remains a major focus for the association.
This revelation was made by GBA President Steve Ninvalle, who has stressed the need to discover new talent in 2025.
Expressing firm intentions to move the GBA into several institutions in a quest to widen the pool of youth boxers, Ninvalle divulged, “Well, the Guyana Boxing Association plans to have an even more hectic year in 2025 than we did in 2024, the main reason being (that) we plan to expand our nursery. We’ve started speaking with orphanages to see how much we can move into that sphere and look for hidden talent.

“As you know, last year we would’ve held more than 18 under-16 competitions. We hope to better that this year, and we’re also hoping we can work with what was the New Opportunity Corps to try to reopen that vent that we had at that institution.
“It’s axiomatic that Guyana is the best in the Caribbean as it relates to U16 boxers. We aim to make sure that we uphold that, and that is why we’re placing so much emphasis there.”
However, older categories of pugilists will not be left ‘in the back seat’, as the GBA President has also planned for them.

“During the course of this year, too, we’ll see the first-ever Terrence Poole Memorial, which will be held in October,” he divulged.
“This year, we plan on partnering with several Caribbean countries to try to tap into the IBA’s professional aspect. Which really says that persons like Desmond Amsterdam, Colin Lewis, Keevin Allicock, Abiola Jackman and so forth… can actually have a professional aspect to their amateur background. So, I’ve had conversations with the Presidents of the Trinidad and St. Lucia Boxing Associations about us actually rolling that out as an Amateur regional component,” Ninvalle explained.
As regards the hosting of the Caribbean School Boys and Juniors tournament, Ninvalle told this publication in a comment invited by this publication that, “We plan on doing it a little different this year. Last year we would’ve done it with a live stream. Persons in Holland, Switzerland, Russia could’ve looked at what we’re having and our product.”
First up on the GBA calendar is hosting of the Terrence Ali National Open, which had initially been scheduled for December 2024.
Speaking on its postponement, Ninvalle said, “As it relates to the upcoming Terrence Ali National Open, we were forced to move that from last December to holding it in January for a number of reasons. One of the reasons is because of the death of Terrence Poole, who has been the best within the Caribbean as a boxing official. So, we thought it better to host it in January.”
Figurative pyrotechnics are anticipated at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue in Georgetown from Friday, January 17 to Sunday, January 19 when the Terrence Ali National Open is staged. Eminent pugilists the likes of Desmond Amsterdam, Abiola Jackman and Colin Lewis are set to wage war there.
The National Novices Boxing tournament is set to follow the National Open tournament.