BOXER KANDEL DOWDEN BEGINS “ROAD TO BAKU” TRAINING

by Michael Bascombe

LANKARAN, Azerbaijan, April 6, 2010 – Grenada’s two-time Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Boxing Champion Kandel Dowden is participating in an International Boxing Association (AIBA) two-week training camp “Road to Baku” in preparation for the World Boxing Championships later this month.

Dowden, who began his training stint on Tuesday, described the programme as rigorous but challenging.

“Training here is nothing compares to back home (Grenada). You must become strong, physically and mentally to survive in this training camp,” he said after completing his first full day of training.

“I would like to thank the boxing association for giving me this opportunity to train at this camp”.

Dowden, who will compete in the Fly Weight category, will be joined by his coach Shayne Joseph on April 20.

The Road to Baku programme is a training camp and development initiative funded by the AIBA Grant Programme that pays for all travel and accommodation expenses for boxers and coaches to attend the training camp and the World Championships.

The Grenada Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) is one of 29 countries who have received this grant.

A record 105 countries are sending a total of 532 boxers to Baku, Azerbaijan to participate in the AIBA Youth World Championships this year, for the first and only qualifying tournament for the Youth Olympic Games.

The registered boxers, aged 17 and 18 years old, will participate in the Championships from April 23rd to May 1st.