Sports Minister promises to help BBA advance boxing

President of the Barbados Boxing Association (BBA) Richard Atwell believes Barbados has what it takes to produce world champion boxers.

Earlier this week the BBA president met with the Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Development Dwight Sutherland who promised to assist with the improvement of the local boxing industry over the next two to three years.

Both parties met at the Ministry of Sports located in Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, where Sutherland on behalf of the BBA received a donation of equipment from national boxer Paige Suchit and his father Lincoln Suchit currently based in Canada.

If Sutherland stays true to his word then Atwell’s hope for Barbados’ elite boxers to turn professional and become champions might definitely become a reality.

Just two Saturdays ago Barbadian professional boxer Cobia ‘Soldier’ Breedy created history when he became the first person from these shores to compete on Showtime television.

Atwell told Barbados TODAY he likes Sutherland’s vision for sports generally and for boxing in particular. He explained that during his meeting with the minister they looked at ways to develop and take the sport forward.

“I am optimistic with the new minister Dwight Sutherland since he just came from the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Small Business. We actually have a mutual vision in terms of sports in seeing that it becomes an industry because right now we don’t have a sports industry, we just do sports.

“We need a sports industry where people can make it a career if they really want to, seeing it has a career path to generate revenue for themselves, family and country. We were also looking at the foreign exchange benefit that can derive from international boxing. The boxing world is also looking to have professional events in Barbados. So, the meeting was fruitful,” Atwell said.

The BBA president noted that with 28-year-old Barbadian international boxer Breedy setting an example for others to follow, he was confident that other youngsters would see that there are opportunities out there.

Breedy based in Washington DC with his management team led by manager and coach Floyd Seymour, continues to represent Barbados very well with a 15-1 record. According to Atwell, Breedy has set the stage for younger Barbadian boxers to emulate.

“He has become a role model not only to his brother Jabali Breedy who travels often to Washington DC to train with his big brother. But Cobia Breedy by becoming the first Barbadian to fight on Showtime has also opened the door for Barbados elite boxers like Charles Cox, Brandon Lee and many others.

“I have seen improvements in terms of his brother’s technical ability since he has been going up there. His work ethic has improved slightly, but Jabali has always been a hard worker but you can see that hunger when he goes down and comes back from Washington,” Atwell explained.

Besides Breedy leading the way in the ring for Barbados, Atwell said the next step was to get boxing into the schools. He emphasized that there is a need for BBA to attract children at a young age.

“We are looking to get boxing in primary schools because there is a need to get athletes involved in the sport from a young age. This will build their skills and also build them physically which is agility, balance, coordination and speed.

“When you look at it, almost every primary school has a martial arts after-school activity and they do light contact competitions which is something we can modify boxing to do. We can have a light modified boxing contact for ages seven and eight because in the United States they actually compete at that kind of age. In the bigger countries they don’t wait until they get twelve and thirteen then to compete because you have to get the foundation early,” Atwell added.

BBA started a grassroots boxing program before the coronavirus (COVID-19) came and Atwell assured they will resume whenever the virus has passed.. He said that currently besides the National Stadium in Waterford, they also utilised the resource centre in St. Lucy. But they are hoping that permission will be granted to utilise a few more facilities across the island.

Once granted permission, one of the things the BBA is looking to push is the self-defence aspect of boxing. In addition, they also want to focus on the fitness benefits which is also a means for the association to generate some revenue.

“We are going to start basically with what we have because these programs are things that are needed. Obesity is one of the challenges, lack of activity in our young people and that leads to all types of diseases down the road,” Atwell said.

morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb