By Marlon Munroe
National boxing coach Wincel Thomas says that for amateur boxers to be effective and to rise to the top here and further afield, they will have to become more technically correct.
He pointed out that this is so especially when they have to compete against the Cubans and Russians, who are considered some of the more accomplished pugilists in the sport.
The national boxing coach disclosed that his programme that has started for under-16 boxers is strictly aimed at improving their techniques.
Thomas said he has observed that many of the boxers were focusing on the uppercut and he believes this has become chronic, especially since there might have been a lull in the sport for some time.
Thomas, who began boxing in 1968, added that he wants to see the technical aspect of the sport being honed more by the boxers.
Amateur boxing bouts are short in duration and the scoring is based on the number of clean punches landed rather than physical power. Boxers use gloves with a white strip across the knuckles and a punch is considered legal only when the boxers connect with the white portion of the gloves. Each punch that lands on the head or torso is awarded a point.
Thomas, 58, who was a former amateur lightweight champion, said he noticed that when local boxers threw their punches their bodyweight was oftentimes not equally distributed. In that way the boxers will be easy targets for knockouts, especially if they are fighting with their feet too close together.
Meanwhile, when he spoke at the press briefing on Tuesday at the National Communications Network (NCN) studio for the sixth edition of the GBBC/GABA Friday Night Fights he noted that should the old techniques continue, there will be a situation where Guyana will have to recycle boxers for tournaments. He said that this can be a counter-productive move for the sport in Guyana which has seen an upsurge in activities since the Steve Ninvalle administration took office earlier in the year.
The national coach also disclosed that he is not satisfied with the level of improvement in amateur boxing he was expecting when he was appointed earlier this year.
Thomas, who is considered one of the better amateur boxers Guyana has produced, said that while he is still in the first phase of his mandate as national coach he believes that there is still a far way to go. He acknowledged also that the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) is still trying to establish gyms around the country.
He noted that in the absence of these gyms improvement will take a longer time. Further, he said that with the thrust of the GABA to push the sport forward and the number of young boxers who have been joining the sport his work will be cut out for him.
However, he maintained that he has committed to working with all boxing coaches to ensure boxers and coaches alike improve. Thomas said that his work to improve the standard of boxing will be an ongoing one and with the help of the GABA and other stakeholders there will be continued upward movement.
Thomas had previously stated and he reiterated on Tuesday that many of the boxers lacked basic aspects of the fistic sport.
