JBB has no plans for 2021 National Championships
Published:Saturday | March 27, 2021 | 12:06 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer -
General Secretary Leroy Brown says the Jamaica Boxing Board (JBB) will not host a National Championships to select boxers to represent the country at the rescheduled Olympic qualifiers in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from May 6 to 17.
The qualifiers were scheduled for March and April of last year but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the time, JBB President Stephen Jones, said if the situation continued into this year, they would consider hosting another tournament to ensure the best boxers would be representing Jamaica at the qualifiers.
However, Brown said the local COVID-19 situation and Government restrictions mean a Championships is just not practical at this time.
Jameer Edwards, Ricardo Brown, Omar Campbell, Trevor Thonson, Damon O'Neill, Kheron Gilpin, Sanji Williams, and Lisa Frazer secured their places on the team at the National Championships last year.
However, the championships not being staged this year will affect top welterweight contender and Canada Amateur Boxing Association gold medallist, Joshua Frazer, who was disqualified last year.
However, Brown said the team to Argentina has not been finalised and that the JBB is examining the options available before an announcement.
"We are looking at that right now, but we have not made a final decision on what we are doing," he said. "But we are examining it formally."
Brown said that the restrictions on sports is hampering local boxers' preparation.
Although individuals have kept themselves in good physical condition, he says the fighters still need ring time to tune up and get things right for the event.
He says he wants the Government to take their situation into consideration and grant them the necessary approval so boxers can maximise preparation.
"The locally-based athletes are at a disadvantage, because they are not doing any sparring," Brown said.
"They are running, working the bags and shadow boxing. The only thing missing is actually ring work.
"We don't know what we might be able to work out between now and then (May). But it (ring time) is absolutely necessary for them.
"We are in constant dialogue with the Ministry [of Sport] to gain approval, so we are waiting for some kind of notice. Hopefully we can get something so that the guys can get cracking as this is definitely a hindrance right now when they should be working toward their peak."