Newly appointed president of NCD Amateur Boxing Association Honk Kiap has started the ball rolling in a bid to revive amateur boxing in NCD.
In a meeting called last week, Kiap invited all interested people and boxers in the suburbs to meet at City Hall to identify technical officials and managers to help run training courses for people interested in starting boxing clubs in the suburbs.
“The meeting was called but only a few people turned up. We can’t get things off the ground if we don’t have any people to come in.”
Kiap agreed that there was talent out there waiting to be uncovered but young people would not be interested if clubs were not active and regular competitions were not in place,
“Most of the boxing clubs in NCD have been inactive for a long time now and only when there is a national or regional event clubs become active. At the PNG Games last year, NCD boxers performed reasonably well considering the fact that many of them were coming off the street without proper training.”
Kiap is adamant that boxing in the nation’s capital is set to see brighter days ahead especially with the involvement of AusAID through the Yumi Lukautim Mosbi project,
“AusAID is prepared to support amateur boxing in PNG but we must get ourselves organised first. Once we have clubs properly organised, with trainers and coaches who have the basic skills in managing their clubs, then AusAID can help with equipment and even facilities for our boxers in the suburbs”.
Kiap’s office will issue a public notice in the coming week for interested people in the community to assist the NCD Amateur Boxing Association get back on its feet.