THE Golden Gloves competition held by the Fiji Amateur Boxing Association was a resounding success, with head coach Cam Todd expressing his satisfaction with the event.
Todd highlighted the high level of competition, with a total of 30 bouts taking place over the weekend at Stanley Brown Gym at Walu Bay in Suva.
He commended the clubs for their competitive spirit and was particularly pleased to see the police boxing team participate after a long absence.
“I was really happy with the standard; it was very good competitive bouts from all the clubs it was special,” said Todd.
“I was happy to see the police boxing at Golden Gloves for the first time in a long time.
Todd emphasised the need for a larger venue for future Golden Gloves competitions, as the event continues to grow in size and popularity.
“I think we need to get a bigger venue for the Golden Gloves competition, because it’s becoming a big and competitive event, so we will definitely we looking for a bigger venue next year.”
As the national coach, Todd viewed the competition as a valuable opportunity to assess talent.
“The competition was great for me, as national coach to just sort out rankings and get some good boxers prepared for next year.
“We are also in contentions with the Commonwealth games, so it was a great competition for me to see boxers and to choose a solid team come next year.”
He was especially encouraged by the growing participation of female boxers and expressed hope for continued growth in women’s boxing in the country.
“I was also happy with the number of female athletes that took part, and we are hoping to see more female boxers next year to grow the sport in the country.”
