-GABA vice president Jeff Roberts
By Donald Duff
Former three-time national amateur boxing champion and current vice president of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) Jeff Roberts is anxious to revitalize boxing in the Ancient County.
Roberts, widely regarded along with the late Ramesh Best as two of the more skilful boxers to come out of the county of Berbice, is president of the newly formed central New Amsterdam Boxing Gym.
The gym is situated in the Guyana Police Force compound in Coburg Street.
“We want to take the kids to the next level; we want to take the kids off the street and help as much kids as we can in the overall process of revitalizing boxing in Berbice,” Roberts told Stabroek Sport yesterday.
Roberts is getting support in his quest as the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club recently donated some boxing equipment to the club.
“We just came back from Rose Hall where Hilbert Foster donated some gloves and other equipment that we can use,” The GABA vice president added.
Roberts who will be remembered for his battles against the likes of Clifford Brutus and Michael Benjamin, said the goal of the club is to get as much persons involved in the “Sweet Science.”
The club was launched two weeks ago with new Amsterdam Mayor Claude Henry delivering the feature address.
Roberts said the club already has approximately 25 members and the hours are from 4-6pm daily.
Roberts, who is the president and chief executive officer, said the club held its first exhibition last week.
The chairman of the club is Abid Alli with Monty Bovell, a former middleweight boxer, as the treasurer and Donna Moses the secretary. Ali and Bovell will double as coaches.
Aubrey Cadogan and Desmond Kelly are the assistant coaches.
So far the club has been able to attract some measure of sponsorship which enabled it to stage the boxing exhibition.
Asked if the club will participate at this weekend’s Novices Championships Roberts said “no.”
“We will be missing the Novices as the kids are still green. Remember, it’s a brand new club.”
“We will probably take part in an Inter-Club competition, he added.
Meanwhile, the GABA vice president is keeping his eye open to establish more clubs.
“I would love to open up another gym if the possibility exists,” he declared.
For now, The overseas-based Roberts intends to give back in some way to the town of New Amsterdam, a town where he honed his considerable skills which enabled him to represent Guyana at the amateur level before he turned professional.
“The goal is to push the game in the Ancient County, while I’m here,” he ended.