…Looking to launch boxing in high schools

Despite the young Jamaican boxers Devonte Barnes and Kayell Beckford both losing on their debuts in the Cayman Islands last week, the president of the Jamaica Boxing Board, Stephen Jones, told Our Today in an exclusive interview, that he was more than encouraged.

Beckford is a 16-year-old student at Muchett High School and 17-year-old Barnes attends Irwin High School. They have been training under the Gloves Over Guns (GOG) initiative with coach Jasmine Graham.

“We do believe from this same platform is where we’ll be able to launch a High School Championship as well,” Jones revealed. “We have a programme called Gloves Over Guns which is a sport for development initiative mostly reaching youth in communities affected by violence using boxing as a platform for personal development, social support and community cohesion.”

He added: “It’s been gaining a lot of traction and the beauty of it is that it encompasses all levels of the sport from novice boxers to elite all the way to professional.”

Barnes was dismissed in one minute and 47 seconds by Ben Vagniez and Beckford didn’t last much longer as following a barrage of punches from Matthew Thompson, the referee ended the contest at one minute and 38 seconds.

“Two of our novice boxers, who have been in the programme less than a year got the opportunity to go to Cayman and represent their country which they did proudly. They both lost by the referee stopping the contest, meaning they were both outclassed skill-wise which is not a concern for us as this was also their first time fighting,” he pointed out.

“So having to deal with the jitters that come with the first time stepping in the ring competitively is one thing, but then doing it on a foreign soil on the same stage where a World Title fight was coming up after can be very nerve-wracking but the experience would have done them well,” said Jones. 

That title fight Jones mentioned, was between Mandeep Jangra and Conor McIntosh for the World Boxing Federation super featherweight title. Jangra won and became the first fighter representing India to win a boxing world title.

“As a board, we’re extremely encouraged by the direction the sport is taking as we have recently launched the Gloves Over Guns Futures where we have a show at the Stanley Couch Gym in downtown Kingston, the last Saturday of every month.

“Boxers of all levels will use this platform to build their careers and while it will be mostly gyms islandwide taking part against each other, we will also have invitationals where boxers from other countries take part as well,” Jones pointed out. “So far we have both a team from Canada and one from Cayman slated to come in 2025.”