President of the St. Lucia Amateur Boxing Association David “Shakes” Christopher says the Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association (CABA) needs a shakeup in order to wake up from its sleep on the amateur canvas.
Noting that it was two years since a tournament was last held Christopher is calling on heads of regional associations to start the resuscitation process in order revamp the highest boxing forum in the Caribbean which he says is dying a slow death.
The region, Christopher says, must put up its guard to avoid the final punch.
Christopher said he has already started the fight to save the regional body by engaging Guyana Amateur Boxing Association president Steve Ninvalle and Grenada’s president Ralph James who are very supportive of the idea of getting CABA back on its feet.
According to the Guyana-born Christopher, ever since the former president of CABA, James Marshall, tendered his resignation things have not been the same for Caribbean amateur boxing.
The next vibrant person who championed CABA cause was Mrs. Cathy Harper who is still a member but is not as active because of her involvement in other sporting activities.
Christopher also called on other heads of regional bodies to join forces with Guyana, Grenada and St. Lucia to chart a way forward for regional amateur boxing.
“CABA was every boxer’s dream after they would have won their national titles, but recently the lack of vision and cooperation between regional bodies has put CABA on its dying bed and if we don’t come together and arrest the situation boxing will just be a thing of the past,” he warned.
The last CABA championship was last held June/July of 2006 at the Chaguaramas Convention Centre in Trinidad. Some 17 countries participated then including defending champions The Bahamas.
Trinidad ended the one-week tournament as overall winners while Guyana won the junior category.
According to Christopher, he will attempt to convene a meeting of regional bodies and should all the countries participate he is sure amateur boxing will fight on.
The International Boxing Association (AIBA) was recently criticized for its lack of vision by the World Boxing Council at its last congress but has since made moves to reshape the sport.
AIBA President Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu has been trying to bridge the gap between Olympic boxing and professional boxing and it is from this perspective that Christopher is calling on Caribbean territories to get in line.
