By Emmerson Campbell
After highly touted pugilist and joint junior Sportsman-of-the-Year Imran ‘Magic’ Khan failed to clinch an Olympic berth at this year’s London Games, executives of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) will seek to have those fortunes reversed in four years at the next Olympics in Brazil.
According to GABA President Steve Ninvalle, the association has had dialogue with Khan and other top amateur pugilists persuading them to remain in the amateur ranks in order to have another shot at the Olympics in 2016.
Ninvalle also stated that GABA’s under-16 project will also aid in securing future potential Olympians.
“We have already spoken to Imran who we think is one of our best bets at this point in time about not turning pro,” said Ninvalle during an interview with Stabroek Sport yesterday.
“He has promised us that he would not at this time as did Laured Stewart and a few others of our top amateur boxers.”
Ninvalle continued: “The other thing we (the association) are also looking into is the under-16 youth project which we have started and if you like at the under-16s now many of them will be maturing by the time of the next Olympics which is 2016 in Brazil.”
The GABA president also intimated that the Ministry of Sport and Director of Sport Neil Kumar will work together with the association to better prepare the pugilists for the Brazil Games.
Ninvalle disclosed that a national plan will be discussed to dissuade the top amateur boxers from turning professionals.
Said Ninvalle: “We know that we cannot tell boxers not to go professional but what we try to do is to make sure they are comfortable enough within the amateur ranks so that the professional carrot that is being dangled all the time would not be that effective.”
Khan has been inactive since he lost at the Olympic box off in May and Ninvalle stressed that this is a result of a limited number of quality opponents in his division (bantamweight), however the association will be seeking overseas opponents.
“There are not many people in Imran’s division so we are toying with the idea that when there is another card to look to maybe Trinidad and bring in someone to keep him active. I have spoken to Mr. Poole (Technical Director of GABA, Terrence Poole) about that and very shortly we will be contacting Trinidad’s Association to see if they can help us with that request,” Ninvalle said.
