Boxing Association to commence 2026 season with Michael Parris U-16 and Youth tournament

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will officially punch off its 2026 calendar of activities on February 7 with the staging of the Michael Parris Under-16 and Youth boxing tournament at the Pace and Power Gym in Albouystown.

The event, hosted at the gym operated by coach Clifton Barker, forms a key part of the GBA’s nursery programme and its broader push to decentralise amateur boxing across Guyana.

Young prospects from various gyms are expected to showcase their skills in what has become one of the Association’s most important developmental platforms.

GBA President Steve Ninvalle underscored the significance of the Pepsi-sponsored tournament, describing it as a longstanding breeding ground for local talent.

“This tournament has been one of the main avenues we use to identify young boxers with potential. Over the years, several fighters who first made their mark here have gone on to represent Guyana at the national level and achieve success regionally and internationally,” Ninvalle explained.

According to Ninvalle, the competition remains a cornerstone of the Association’s long-term development strategy, offering structured opportunities for young athletes to gain ring experience in a competitive but nurturing environment.

“This is a key component of our developmental plans,” he added. “It allows us to track talent from an early stage and guide them along a pathway toward national representation.”

Meanwhile, Ninvalle also revealed that the GBA will take the tournament beyond Georgetown later this month.

Honouring a commitment he made while addressing mourners at the funeral of the late boxing coach Gregory ‘Chassis’ Cort, Ninvalle said the Association will stage the event in Berbice as part of its decentralisation drive.