WALTER ALIBEY
A clash between Jesse Beckles of the Cosmic Boxing Gym and Christian Mc Donald of Trumpet Boxing Gym in the 64kg division will be the feature fight on the card as the 2016 National Boxing Championship begins from 6 pm this evening at the Cosmic Boxing Gym, 149 St James Street, Battoo Avenue, Marabella.
Mc Donald holds the upperhand after beating his opponent when they last met three years ago, but Beckles is eager to gain revenge.
The outstanding Michael Alexander is the champion in the division but he will not compete after coaches agreed to have him prepare for the Caribbean Boxing Championships in Barbados next month, December 5-11.
Yesterday, Floyd Trumpet, coach for Olympic boxer Nigel Paul also confirmed that his bulky super heavyweight fighter will not compete at the national championship as there is no competition there for him. Trumpet scoffed at the idea of a potential boxer relishing the opportunity to face Paul in the ring.
Paul, who was knocked out at two minutes, 44 seconds in the opening round of his preliminary bout with Nigeria’s Efe Ajagba at the Olympics, will join Alexander as they await other qualifiers from the national championship.
Apart from the Beckles/Mc Donald fight, there will also be a keen match-up between Jean-Paul Cooper of World Class Gym and Kyleron Ruiz of Potential Boxing Gym in the 64kg division as well as a meeting between Mike Innis of Biomel and Dexter Villaroel (Biomel) in the 60kg contest.
The championship will continue tomorrow with other preliminary and semifinal bouts while the finals will take place on Sunday.
Card
Today
Bout 1: Elite Men 60kg
Mike Innis (Biomel) vs Dexter Villaroel (Biomel)
Bout 2: Elite Men 60kg
Anthony Ravello (YTC) vs Jermicah Jones (Biomel)
Bout 3: Elite Men 64kg
Jesse Beckles (Cosmic) vs Christian Mc Donald (Trumpet Boxing Gym)
Bout 4: Elite Men 64kg
Jean-Paul Cooper (World Class) vs Kyleron Ruiz (Potential Boxing Gym)
Bout 5: Junior Boys 52kg
Juan Rodriguez (East Port-of-Spain) vs Edwin Felix (East Port-of-Spain)
Bout 6: Youth Men 75kg
Miguel (East Port-of-Spain) vs Daniel Gill (Potential Boxing Gym)
Bout 7: Women 51kg
Angelique Ouevedo (Potential Boxing Gym) vs Kelly Forde (Trumpet Boxing Gym)
TOMORROW
Bout 8: Junior Boys 52kg
Nyrell Hosein (Biomel) vs Winner of Bout 5
Bout 9: Junior Boys 52kg
Meshach Thomas (East Port-of-Spain) vs Tyrique Hosein (Biomel)
Bout 10: Junior Boys 60kg
Darren Seepersad (Cosmic) vs Khatin James (Biomel)
Bout 11: Junior Boys 60kg
Moses Dempster (East Port-of-Spain) vs Josiah Cortez (Biomel)
Bout 12: Junior Boys 69kg
Joshua Sylvester (Biomel) vs Ruell Hope (Sand City Boxing Emporium)
Bout 13: Junior Boys 69kg
Josiah Hunte (YTC) vs Denzel Massy (Biomel)
Bout 14: Youth Men 64kg
John Powtan (Biomel) vs Daniel Ajim (Biomel)
Bout 15: Youth Men 64kg
Jacob Andrews (Golden Fist) vs Nathan Debsette (Biomel)
Bout 16: Youth Men 75kg
Nickel Joseph (Sand City Boxing Emporium) vs Winner Bout 6
Bout 17: Youth Men 75kg
Kevin Gonzalez (Cosmic) vs Kiel Mc Neil (Biomel)
Bout 18: Elite Men Novice 49kg Final
Kevin Persadie (YTC) vs Kevin Ramdeo (Cosmic)
Bout 19: Elite Men Novice 75kg
Aaron Williams (Bear Bartholomew & Gentle Daniel) vs Brian Gabriel (Fineline)
Bout 20: Elite Men Novice 91+ kg Final
Jealani Garcia (Fineline) vs Chad Warrick (Fineline)