Stanley Couch Gym being refurbished

Wray and Nephew, a long time sponsor of boxing in Jamaica, and the main sponsor of the very popular Contender boxing series, has decided to make another substantial contribution to the sport. The company has agreed to refurbish the Boxing Board's Stanley Couch Gym, which is located on Victoria Avenue in Kingston, and work has started on the stands, which were in a state of disrepair, the internal infrastructure, and the ring.

"This is a start, and more work will have to be done to make the gym one of the finest in Jamaica", said Boxing Board president Stephen "Bomber" Jones yesterday. "We are happy that Wray and Nephew are continuing to support the sport, and we owe them a debt of gratitude," he added.

Speaking on behalf of her company, marketing manager of White Overproof Rum Nadia Kiffin Green said: "Wray and Nephew has invested heavily in bringing boxing back to its former glory by sponsoring the Contender television series. The series has revived interest in the sport, and this means that more young men and women are looking to boxing as a viable career option.

Investment in future

"We at Wray and Nephew , therefore, felt it necessary to further invest in the development of the sport, and refurbishing the Stanley Couch Gym will go a long way in fostering enthusiasm and give the young boxers an environment in which they can properly prepare themselves for action in the ring."

Kiffin-Green said further that "after visiting the gym, the company realised that what is in fact the National Boxing Gym, was in need of improved infrastructure and better facilities in which to train the next generation of Jamaican boxers, as well as adequate equipment.

We will, therefore, continue to work with the Jamaica Boxing Board to ensure that the infrastructure, programmes and equipment to support the growth of the sport are in place."

The refurbishing exercise is expected to go on for several weeks, and the gym is projected to be ready for the National Senior Championships for amateur boxers, which is scheduled to take place at the gym from November 29 to December 1.