Lee wants more done for boxing

One of Barbados’ youngest and newly certified boxing coaches, Brandon Lee, wants to see that sport thrown more into the spotlight locally. 

Lee who completed the national certificate program under the Barbados Boxing Association a couple of months ago said boxing lacked adequate exposure.

During an interview with Barbados TODAY, Lee said: “There is a lot of stigma behind boxing because the first thing people would think is: ‘oh, it is a very violent sport, I don’t want my child in that sport’. But it is actually a disciplined sport. It teaches a lot of young people, young men especially, that there is an alternative to just going out there and being part of the street life.

“I am speaking from experience of where I grew up and how I grew up. Boxing was a chance for me to mature first of all and also to think bigger than just boxing and what society wants or plays on everybody who comes from a certain background. So, boxing needs a lot of light shed on it and a lot of support from the Government and local entities, even the private sector.”

A graphic designer by profession, Lee assured that no matter what, he would do his part to develop boxing on the island. He already has plans to one day have his own boxing gym and is seeking to do so in five years time. The gym once opened, he said, would work closely with secondary school students and people within communities.

Currently working with a couple of young boxers at Belfield Boxing Gym, Lee continues to do his part in helping to develop local talent. He already has short and long term goals on how he intends to accomplish it.

“I would like to do a bit of competition at the gym once it is open. There is more than one place where competitions are held but there is only one gym which is the national gym by the Stadium that has a ring. So, I would like to eventually be able to bring in a ring and have that at my location where people could come and train, different gyms could come and do a little sparring session and host competitions. The actual location, getting all of that organization will be short term goals for me. The long term would actually be to take boxers overseas and have them compete professionally,” he said.

As one of the newest coaches on the island,  Lee said he admires the work being done by one of this island’s highly rated coaches, Christopher ‘Shaka’ Henry, a former light-welterweight champion and Barbadian Olympian.

Having studied and experienced boxing training while in the United States of America, Lee explained that even though there are limited resources in Barbados, one thing Barbadian boxers have was heart and that is what would possibly take many of them on to the international scene.

“The issue is overseas having a different level of training is due to the availability of facilities and equipment, we don’t have that here. We don’t have proper boxing bags, rings, equipment in general, to train our boxers. As far as heart and dedication to boxing we have a lot of young people who are actually dedicated to boxing and can probably go overseas and make some waves.

“Obviously, as a coach without the proper equipment, we can’t train them as we would like. But if we do get that equipment and even without that equipment, I know some local boxers that have the potential to go overseas and win titles during competitions. There is not much difference in terms of skill level but in terms of being able to perfect that skill due to the lack of equipment, that is the issue,” Lee stated.

morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb