Nearly 50 boxers from the region are on the cards as Saint Lucia prepares to host the Caribbean Champion of Champions Boxing Tournament from April 20-23, 2023.

The tournament, which is being organized and hosted by the St. Lucia Boxing Association (SLBA), will feature boxers from Guadeloupe, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Cayman Islands, and host country Saint Lucia.

Dubbed “Nuff Cuff -- Punches in Bunches”, the tournament will see boxers competing in various weight classes, age groups, and categories (novice, youth, junior, elite).

The teamswill arrive in Saint Lucia on Thursday, April 20, when the sports entry checks will be done. On Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22, live boxing action will be held at the Vigie Multi-Purpose Sports Complex. The action begins from 7:00 p.m. each day. Admission is $15.00 for adults and $5.00 for children under 12.

Saint Lucia will feature just over a dozen boxers from the Vigie and Vieux Fort boxing gyms. Among them is female light heavyweight boxer, Nikaela Khodra. The 21-year-old made an impressive debut at a tournament in Guyana in February 2023, picking up a silver medal. In March 2023, she competed at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, India, where she lost in her first bout to Thailand’s Pornnipa Chutee in the Round of 16.

President of SLBA and Tournament Co-Director, David “Shakes” Christopher, said he is very proud to host the delegations coming to Saint Lucia for this tournament.

“We’re seeing powerhouses such as Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Guadeloupe, Barbados and Cayman Islands coming in a big way to support us,” he said. “I want to encourage the Saint Lucian public to come out and support the young boxers who are putting their hands in gloves and not on guns. We also want the families and schoolmates of the boxers to come out and support since we’ll also be featuring many boxers from the school system and the Vieux Fort gym.”

Christopher said organizers decided to host the tournament closer to the city instead of Beausejour, Gros Islet, so as to allow for easier access to the venue in terms of transportation. He also expressed gratitude to the sponsors who have made the tournament possible.

“I want to thank the sponsors who came on board to support this tournament, for continuing to show confidence in us,” Christopher said.

This tournament is the first major boxing event to be hosted in Saint Lucia since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. Therefore, tournament organizers are encouraging boxing fans to come out in large numbers to support the event.

“Many of the boxers who will be competing are young boxers, some of whom are making their competitive debut,” said Stan Bishop, SLBA’s Public Relations Officer and Tournament Co-Director. “Our Association tries its utmost to create opportunities for the youth through sport. Many of these boxers are still at school, and we believe that capturing them at a young age helps them foster a great sense of discipline, sportsmanship, and character.”

Sponsors of the Caribbean Champion of Champions Boxing Tournament include National Lotteries Authority (NLA), St. Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) Inc., Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, Vybe Radio, and Blackheart Productions.

Sign-ups for new members will be done during the tournament for anyone interested in taking up the sport of boxing at either the Vigie or Vieux Fort boxing gyms.

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