BOXING

As several leading boxing personalities have stated recently on insidethegames, to consider the likes of Manny Pacquiao being drawn in the Olympics against an up-and-coming youngster - should fully-fledged professionals be allowed in the Games - simply does not make sense.

T&T boxer Nigel Paul received a silver medal after he was beaten in the Super heavyweight final of the AIBA Americas Olympic Boxing Qualifiers in Argentina by Cuba’s Lenier Pero 3-0 yesterday.

Male boxers competing at this year's Olympic Games will not wear headguards for the first time in 36 years after a proposal by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) was approved here today.

Plans to roll-out Olympic boxing to all professional fighters are in line with the sporting spirit of inclusivity, International Boxing Association (AIBA) President CK Wu told insidethegames here today and claimed the risk of injury is not as great as has been claimed by former top fighters like Lennox Lewis.

Lennox Lewis, himself a former Olympic boxing gold medallist, calls it "preposterous". Barry McGuigan, another distinguished ex-Olympian who also became a world champion, condemns it as "crazy".

Four of T&T’s national boxers including welterweight Aaron Prince will leave this country on Monday for Cuba where they will spar against quality opposition in preparation for the first Rio 2016 Olympic Games qualifier in Argentina from March 8-20.