SABF Boxing Competition-Boxing action back at Victoria gymnasium |30 March 2007

The competition, which is being organized by the Seychelles Amateur Boxing Federation (SABF), will be used as a selection test for our local pugilists who will be participating in overseas training camps.

According to the SABF, nine boxers are to be selected to participate in overseas training camps in Cuba and Algeria at the end of April. The boxers will spend two months in Cuba followed by one month in Algeria in preparation for the All Africa Games and the Indian Ocean Island Games.
According to SABF’s chairman Kenneth Nalletamby, Saturday's competition will bring a lot of surprises.

“There will be some thrilling bouts as the newcomers are ready and not afraid to challenge the more experienced fighters,” Nalletamby told Sports Nation.

“The ideal example of that will be the Kitson Jullie versus Nigel Benoit contest as well as the Jean-Paul Mellie v/s MacFarlène Estrale bout,” added Nalletamby.

In terms of preparations, the boxers are training twice daily from Monday to Friday and once on Saturday.

Chairman Nalletamby said that the SABF is putting much emphasis on the junior fighters as they want to set up a junior national team.

He also mentioned that with the school of boxing programme in full swing in different schools, there are a lot of new talents that are ready to be developed.

He added that though all the constraints and limited resources, the SABF is satisfied with the progress and is working hard to bring back the reputation that Seychelles’ boxing enjoyed in the late 70s and early 80s.

The SABF is also planning a junior President’s Cup in June whereby they will invite foreign teams to participate.

It will also be a good preparation for the junior pugilists who will be participating in the Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l'Ocean Indien (CJSOI) Games that Seychelles will be hosting, beginning on December 14 this year.

As for Saturday’s competition, the public are asked to come and give their support to our local fighters. Tickets for the competition cost R25.

R. D.