St. Maarten Boxing Federation President and former Boxer and now trainer Shawn Blair attended the International Boxing Association Congress in Russia.
MOSCOW--St. Maarten was represented at the International Boxing Association Congress in Russia. St. Maarten Boxing Federation President and former Boxer and now trainer Shawn Blair attended.
“My trip to Russia was successful,” said Blair.
He explained he has been able to arrange
to have a three-star coach from Guyana come to St. Maarten and train our national team and prepare our coaches for when they turn to go and be certify as a one-star coach.
“We also have the opportunity of going to Ecuador with our boxes to go to a training camp which would cost us only the airline ticket. Ecuador will take care of everything else.
“St. Maarten has the first option of hosting the 2019 Caribbean Development tournament, but we must have a guarantee letter to show that we are capable of hosting it and that we do not do the same thing as in 2007,” said Blair.
Before Blair was president, St. Maarten had committed to host a tournament, Invitations were sent out, athletes arrived, but the financing was not in place and the competition was cancelled.
Perhaps the biggest news coming from the Congress was the decision of the represented islands to form a Caribbean team for the 2024 Olympics.
“We will take boxes from the different Caribbean islands and put them into a training camp and then the best fighters we will take to the 2024 Olympic to represent the Caribbean because of the Caribbean not producing boxers that can keep up with the rest of the world.”
Blair concluded, “it was a great experience and I learned a lot especially that Unity is the best way forward with the right set of people and it's time to help the young people put down the guns and put on the boxing gloves.”
