Walters calls for more boxing events, gym in Mobay
MONTEGO BAY, St James — Nicholas Walters, the former WBA flyweight champion, has called for more boxing events being staged in his home town of Montego Bay, as well as “a fully functional boxing gym” to engage the youth of the city and its environment.
The call came at Thursday’s media launch of the Jamaica Boxing Board’s second Gloves over Guns series of fights that will be staged at the Montego Bay Cricket Club on Saturday, November 17 and featuring eight bouts.
The press conference that was held at the Montego Bay Cricket Club also saw the signing of an agreement for a gym to be built on the Cricket Club’s premises that will be run by Nicholas’s father and first coach, Job.
The fight card will see eight bouts, secretary of the Jamaica Boxing Board Leroy Brown explained, including five featuring young boxers from Canada and the other three featuring local boxers.
Walters, who threw his full support behind the Gloves over Guns initiative, said with Montego Bay being in the news in regard to crime of late, exposing the young people to boxing could reap benefits.
“Boxing has always been in Kingston, and I have been in boxing a few years now and the Gloves over Guns theme is a good thing to turn the youths from the guns and boxing can be a lucrative career,” he said before warning that if there are no real solid plans then it could backfire.
“We need more events for the youths to benefit, but if you tell a guy to put down the gun, what will he pick up? The business sector must be involved as well. There must be a programme to get boxers from the amateur to the professional level.”
Walters said he was hoping the initiative would not be a one-off but ongoing. “When I am away I want to hear that there is boxing events being held in Montego Bay, and other parts of the island and we must have a fully functional gym where the youths can go to workout and also take their friends with them as well.”