Terrence Alli National Open Championships this weekend: 2 Surinamese boxers coming, 2 female fighters likely coming from T&T

As the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) prepares for resumption of the Terrence Alli National Open Championships this weekend — after a hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic — it has been disclosed that the tournament is set to feature more than just the best of Guyana’s amateur boxers.
In a comment invited from the President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, this publication has been made to understand that boxers from Suriname have confirmed their participation, while the GBA would know today whether two female fighters from Trinidad and Tobago would be participating in the Championships. It is anticipated that these countries would be sending their best boxers to punch it out with the Guyanese fighters who would be on show.
“This tournament that starts on Friday also expects to have international flavour. Suriname has confirmed two boxers, we are still trying to have two female fighters from Trinidad. This will be known (today), confirmation (today), but Suriname has confirmed two fighters; they’re expected in Guyana on Wednesday,” Ninvalle related to Guyana Times Sport.
Aside from the international touch, Ninvalle has good reason to tout the Terrence Alli National Open as historic for the Caribbean Region. This is owing to the cash prizes that would be given to the top three finishers in each weight class of the elite division.

“We are just following on the footsteps of IBA. They have started rewarding boxers at the World Championships for winning gold, silver and bronze with US$200,000, US$100,000 and US$50,000 respectively. It’s being done at the Confederation level, so we thought it fit to do it,” Ninvalle explained.
“Of course, we would not be able to rival the amount of money IBA is paying, but it’s a significant move, a significant shift in amateur boxing in Guyana and across the Caribbean,” he added, as he described the move as historic, since Guyana would be the first territory in the Caribbean region to implement the initiative for a local tournament.
It has also been disclosed that this decision was inspired by IBA President Umar Kremlev’s move to increase the prize pool by a mammoth 50% for the 2023 World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from May 1st to 4th.
The Terrence Alli National Open Boxing tournament is scheduled to run from Friday, December 15 to Sunday, December 18 at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue in Georgetown.