Guyana’s middleweight boxer Devon Boatswain is to be in action today at the Talkatora Stadium as boxing in the XIX Commonwealth Games commences in New Delhi, India.
Fighting out of the blue corner, Boatswain, who also competed at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) championships in Puerto Rico in August, will be matching gloves with Samoa’s Afaese Fata in the men’s 75kgs qualification bout.
His two other teammates, 2008 Junior Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Clevon Rock and 2010 CAC bronze medallist Dexter Jordon will be competing tomorrow and Thursday at the same venue.
Rock, who will be fighting out of the red corner in the 60kg lightweight division, will take on Thomas Stalker of England. Rock will also be looking for some poetic justice since it was an Englishman who beat him in India in 2008 when he copped Guyana’s silver medal.
Jordon, brimming with confidence after his CAC bronze medal, will have his work cut out for him against Neo Thamahane of Lesotho in an elimination bout. They will be competing in the 52kg weight class.
Manager of the boxing team, Steve Ninvalle said that the boxers weighed in yesterday and each boxer made the required weight “with ounces to spare”. He told Stabroek Sport that coach of the team Terrence Poole has continued his work with the boxers that he had started prior to the team’s departure last week.
He is also hopeful that the boxers will perform well although the level of competition at the Commonwealth Games is much higher than at the CAC Games.
And commenting on the facilities, Ninvalle said that they are “excellent” and they are comfortable.
He also indicated that there can be no complaints, especially as it relates to the courteous nature of the attendants and the transportation to the facilities is running like “clockwork”.
The lead-up to the XIX Commonwealth Games event in New Delhi, India had been plagued by a number of setbacks, raising widespread concerns among foreign delegations.
On Sunday Britain’s Prince Charles opened the Games after delivering a message from Queen Elizabeth, the head of the Commonwealth.
Meanwhile, Ninvalle also revealed that he had discussions with president of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu to map out ways the international governing body can help Guyana and the development of boxing. It is not yet known what those talks yielded but Stabroek Sport also learnt that Ninvalle will be contesting for the position of Vice-President for boxing in the Commonwealth.
He indicated that the Caribbean contingent in India had verbally given him the support for the elections which will be held sometime during the Games.
