Patrick Forde Memorial tourney to have international flavour
GBA President Steve Ninvalle
For the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the Patrick Forde Memorial boxing tournament is set to ignite the National Gymnasium. The action is set for Sunday, February 19, 2023.
With its resurgence, this tournament is poised to have several features to appease the palates of local boxing fanatics, including international boxers, female bouts, and ‘the promising talent of tomorrow’.
Sharing an update on the tournament with Guyana Times Sport, Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle disclosed that international boxers are lined up to oppose local stars.
“Preparations for the 2nd annual Patrick Forde Memorial tournament are going excellent. We expect to have Barbados, Trinidad, St. Lucia and Suriname coming to compete against Guyana,” Ninvalle shared.
He related to this publication, “In addition, our 2022 Sportsman of the year, Desmond Amsterdam, is scheduled to be on the card to fight against overseas opposition, as is Colin Lewis and Keevin Allicock.”
Recently voted as Guyana’s Sport Association of the Year for 2021-2022, the GBA has an eye on preparation for international competition, and as such, female bouts will be on the card for the Jackman sisters, Abiola and Alesha.
The GBA President has announced, “Also, we’ll have both of the Jackman sisters.
They, of course, are earmarked to go to the World Championships in India in March. So, this will be much needed ring time for both of them,” he enlightened.
In addition to the senior competitors lined up, the Patrick Forde Memorial is set to feature up-and-coming under-16 talents.
“What would be a feature of this year’s tournament is that we would be having 5 bouts for under-16. We’ve said before that we’re placing a lot of emphasis on our nursey, and by part we’ll have them included,” Ninvalle related.
The Patrick Forde Memorial is held in honour of former pugilist Patrick Forde, who became the first Guyanese to contest a world title. Forde passed away in 2011 at the age of 55.
