Welsh Boxing team take on the world

 

Five boxers are preparing for the AIBA World Youth Championships which take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 23rd April to 1st May.

The AIBA World Youth Championships is a particularly tough competition as it is a qualifying event for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games. 110 countries are registered to compete, with over 500 boxers taking part.

Representing Wales are:

54kg Zach Davies (Cwmgores ABC)
 
57kg Richard Needham (All Saints ABC)
 
60kg Mitch Buckland (St Joseph’s Newport)
 
64kg Manno Lee (Bonymaen ABC)
 
75kg Liam Williams (Rhondda ABC)
 
Coaches: Tony Williams and Colin Jones,
 
Referee: John Waith

Meanwhile, Chris Ware (75kg, Bonymaen ABC) and Jay Harris (52kg, Premier ABC) will travel out to India today with coach Ronnie Morris (Cwmgores) for an international tournament in Delhi.

Amateur boxing made its entrance in the UK in the latter half of the 19th century. Seen as a more technical, and safer form of boxing, it became popular in schools, in universities, and in the armed forces. It was an Olympic sport by 1904.

In this variant of boxing, competitors wear gloves with a white stripe across the knuckle, and headguards, and they fight a restricted number of rounds, Nowadays, men normally fight 3 rounds, each of a duration of 3 minutes. Women box 4 rounds, each of 2 minutes.

A competitor scores by landing a punch on the middle of his/her opponent’s head, or on the torso (above the belt). The judges do the scoring, while the referee concentrates on ensuring that only legal blows are deployed, and prevent the use of holding. Referees will also stop the bout in the event of injury, or a serious imbalance between the boxers.

Male amateur boxers box at a range of weights: 48kg; 51kg; 54kg; 57kg; 60kg; 64kg; 69kg; 75kg; 81kg; 91kg; 91+kg. Females at: 46kg; 48kg; 51kg; 54kg; 57kg; 60kg; 64kg; 69kg; 75kg; 81kg; 81+kg.

Since 1941, the International Amateur Boxing Association has been responsible for the global game. Within the UK, there are three home nations: ABAE (England); WABA (Wales); ABS (Scotland). BABA is responsible for the ultimate preparation of the elite athletes for Olympic Games.

The 2012 London Olympics will see women boxing for the first time, at three weights: 51kg; 60kg; 75kg.

Amateur boxing in the 21st century is a vibrant, healthy and safe sport that is attracting more and more converts, as participants and as supporters. It delivers as a competitive activity; it is a great fitness sport; and as being accessible to all, it has a major role to play in helping build community cohesion. It has a past to be proud of, and a great future to look forward to.

for more information on BABA visit the website www.gbboxing.org.uk