Fistic fury at Steel Shed this weekend

Boxers from Guyana, Martinique, and Saint Lucia will take on their counterparts from Barbados this weekend. The Caribbean Champions Ronald Wilson Memorial Tournament will be held Friday and Saturday, August 23 and 24 at the historic, cultural Queen’s Park Steel Shed.

It’s reportedly the first time in over a decade that the venue will be used for boxing. Perusal of online media indicates the Lionel Hall / Carlton Hope Memorial Meeting in September 2013 as the most recent action at the venue. Although seating will be limited, the Barbados Boxing Association (BBA) is looking forward to bringing the sport back to its glory days.

“For years, the Queens Park Steel Shed was the beating heart of Bajan boxing,” said the BBA in a statement. “It was a place where champions were made and communities came together. However, after its refurbishment, boxing events unexplainably ceased, and with that, a piece of our sporting culture was lost. But now, with your support, we have the opportunity to document the start of mending this relationship geared to making it the home of Bajan boxing for this and future generations to come.”

Representing the National Gym, 31-year-old light heavyweight 75kg elite athlete Charles Cox will represent Barbados against a fighter from Guyana. Emerging athlete Peter Murray is also on the card.

Rico Hurley from Zenlife Big Youth Gym and Seth Lawrence from Fight n Fit will answer the question of who is truly Barbados’ super heavy champion.

In all, more than a dozen of the island’s emerging boxers, along with elite and emerging boxers from around the region, promise another thrilling display of talent and toughness.

The BBA is looking forward to having 20 bouts total over the course of two nights. The bell is scheduled to go for the first of the preliminaries from 8:00 pm on Friday evening. Finals action starts from 7:00 pm Saturday.

Tickets are available from a number of gyms, including Zenlife on Promenade Road in St Michael; Fight n Fit at the Surfside Wellness Centre on Brittons Cross Road; and Shaka’s School of Boxing and Fitness, Miller Brothers Building on Tudor Street.

The tournament also serves as a tribute to Dr Ronald Wilson, a man whose name is synonymous with the very essence of boxing in Barbados. According to the BBA, “Dr Wilson’s legacy is not just felt in the punches thrown or the titles won but in the lives he touched through his philanthropy, his commitment to the sport, and his unwavering support for athletes.

“He was a hero of Bajan boxing, a mentor, and a visionary whose contributions reached far beyond our shores. This tournament is our way of honouring his memory and continuing his mission to uplift boxing in Barbados and the Caribbean.”

(TF)