KINGSTON, Jamaica, Dec 15, CMC – Head of the Jamaica Boxing Association Stephen James had eight reasons for optimism about the sport in the island following the Caribbean Development Boxing Championships last week in Barbados.
James said Jamaica’s reputation in the sport was enhanced following its capture of eight medals at the Championships and more success could be reaped with the right amount of nurturing of young talent.
Said James: “We will be working from now on building for the tournaments coming up, but we wanted to have a stronger presence in the region, we wanted to stake our claim, and although we went with the intention to get all gold, we are pleased. They represented us very well.”
The Jamaicans collected two gold medals from Jerone Ennis and female pugilist Kerron Thomas in addition to four silver and two bronze.
James was fulsome in his praise for the 16-year-old Thomas, a product of a project by the Association to introduce the sport to inner-city youths in Denham Town, Hannah Town and Fletchers Land in a bid to instill discipline.
She earned her gold medal in the novice flyweight after beating Iniggakaya Lythcott from host country Barbados.
“Kerron went through this programme and went on to represent Jamaica and achieved gold after boxing for eight months, so it shows that a lot can come out of the inner cities,” said James. “She represents more than just boxing. She represents that gold can come from anywhere.”
James believes that Ennis, whose gold came following a tie with Hopkin Ebanks of the Cayman Islands in the final of the youth welterweight, is a boxer with a bright future.
“Jerone is just an unbelievable talent,” said James. “Him going and getting the gold, we were expecting that, so it’s just to manage him and keep his ego down and the focus on track.”
James said a number of the other medal winners had shown potential and with the right amount of the work can improve in the sport.
“It’s not just Kerron and Jerone, all the others,” he said. “(Super) heavyweight Ricardo Brown, only had a couple fights and he went up against elite boxers and did well. Give him more competition and hone his skills so he does not make mistakes that they can deduct points, and he can be a real force to reckon with in no time.”
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