National boxers including Nigel Paul will now focus their energy on a training camp in Cuba, as the Tuesday Night Boxing at the Castle (TNBC) event scheduled for tonight at the residence of former West Indies batsman Brian Lara has been cancelled.
The organisers of the TNBC, which comprises the T&T Amateur Boxing Association (TTABA), LAY Management Group and the Pearl and Bunty Lara Foundation, have hosted numerous boxing events this year to help national boxers prepare for the Olympics.
President of the TTABA Cecil Forde explained that there were not enough quality boxers available for tonight, as many boxers are nursing injuries and preparing for the final Olympic boxing qualifier next month in Azerbaijan.
Super heavyweight Paul has already booked a spot in the Rio Olympics, after competing at the Americas Zone Olympic qualifying tournament in Argentina in March.
Forde confirmed that Paul, lightweight Michael Alexander, welterweight Aaron Prince and middleweight Andrew Fermin will leave T&T for Cuba next week Tuesday to compete in a three-week camp prior to the start of the final qualifier in Azerbaijan.
Forde, who thanked Lara for his support of local boxing, is asking for assistance from corporate T&T to help boxers Jean Paul Cooper and Anthony Joseph attend the camp in Cuba.
Following the camp in Cuba, Paul will travel to Venezuela to train with the Venezuelan national team while the other national boxers compete in Azerbaijan.