TWO Jamaican boxers, middleweight champion Jonathan Hanson from Tiger gym, and welterweight champion Kestna Davis from Bruising gym, left the island on Thursday for Almaty, Kazakhstan, to attend a training camp scheduled to run from today to October 10.

They will also be attending the World Boxing Championships, from October 11 to 27, and will be accompanied by coach Carl Grant from Bruising gym.

As part of its development programme for boxers worldwide, the International Boxing Association (AIBA) has invited various national federations to send specially selected boxers to undergo specialised training for a two-week period prior to the start of the World Championships.

AIBA will be paying all the expenses for the teams, and if they perform satisfactorily, their expenses to the World Championships will also be paid by AIBA.

Boxing board president Stephen Jones said that he was pleased that Jamaica had been given the opportunity to participate in the programme, which is called “The road to Almaty” and that he was sure that Jamaica’s boxing would benefit.

“We could not have afforded to send a team to this training camp or the tournament, as the costs are high. This gesture by AIBA is therefore a good one for boxing, and we are thrilled that we were one of the countries selected to participate.

“This will help the sport to grow locally because for two weeks these two promising boxers and their coach will receive special training from some of the best trainers in the world. They will therefore be better prepared to compete with distinction in the World Championships,” he said.