The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) which ended last year on a high with the staging of its flagship national championships, has already started planning to host its first tournament for 2023.
President of the GBA Steve Ninvalle yesterday told Stabroek Sports that the GBA is lacing up its boxing gloves and will resume activities for 2023 next month with the staging of the Patrick Ford Memorial boxing championships which, said Ninvalle, will have an international flavor.
The late Ford, the first Guyanese to fight for a world title under the Golden Arrowhead, will best be remembered for twice challenging for world titles coming quite close to almost winning Guyana its first such title.
Although he lost a majority decision to Salvador Sanchez of Mexico for the World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight title on September 13, 1980, one judge had it as a draw and there were many who felt that the Guyanese had won.
Ford, whose brother Reginald was also a pugilist, won the WBC Fecarbox title and he also won the Commonwealth featherweight title when he defeated Eddie Ndukwu on August 1st 1980.
He was later to lose a second world title attempt to Eusebio Pedroza of Panama ending with a career record of 23 fights, with 19 wins and just four losses.
He died in 2011 after suffering a heart attack.
Ninvalle said the GBA was keen on honouring past greats, adding that the late Ford was as great as they come.
“We will again collaborate with Alford Mc Donald to host the second Patrick Ford Memorial tournament,” said Ninvalle.
“The last such tournament was held in 2019 and it was never held again because of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Ninvalle said the tournament will be held prior to the country’s Mashramani celebrations.
“At this point it will be held on the 19th of February at the National Gymnasium. It will be an international tournament which will see several females competing.”
Ninvalle said that the GBA is following the International Boxing Association’s (IBA) path in advancing women’s boxing and has earmarked a couple of female fights for the event.
As such, he said, local female fighters the Jackman sisters will benefit from having international competition.
“Our female boxers have not had a chance at international competition for some time. “We’ve already spoken to Trinidad, Suriname and St Lucia.
“Our priority is to find some competition for the two Jackman sisters Alisha and Abiola.
“Cecil Forde, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Boxing Association has given his word that he will send two female fighters to the Patrick Ford Memorial while David Christopher, the president of the St. Lucia Boxing Association has promised to send his middleweight fighter,” said Ninvalle, who is also the Director of Sport.
“Also, you will have several of our junior boxers on show. We plan to have that junior programme going at the end of the month.”
Ninvalle was also upbeat about the chances of a three-member team which will be going to Morocco this month.
“Additionally we have selected some boxers to go to Morocco, Colin Lewis, Desmond Amsterdan and Keevin Allicock along with Terrence Poole. They’ve already been registered.
“At the moment we’re looking at acquiring the airfare which, as of today, is three thousand, four hundred US dollars, per person said Ninvalle.
The boxers will participate in the third Golden Belt Series which runs from January 31st to February 11th.
