Twelve-year-old Lukesh Persaud remembers taking turns with the other boxers to use the sparring gear. They trained in a small room. Now he and his New Amsterdam Boxing Academy teammates have a gym built for the sport.

The G$53 million Michael Parris Boxing Gym was commissioned on Monday, November 9, in Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam.

“I feel really nice because the last gym where we went only had bars and a small room with the gloves and paddles. We used to share the equipment for sparring and everything,” Persaud said.

Persaud took up boxing two years ago. He had been watching the sport and was nervous about trying it himself, but decided to give it a go after a friend joined the academy.

For 20-year-old Terron Wintz, the gym gives more young people a chance to get into the sport that gave him direction. He started boxing at 17 and credits coach Jeff Roberts with helping him become a national champion.

“To be honest, it would have been crime because where I come from, there’s a lot of crime and the focus is to be a bad guy. So I try to separate myself by going into the gym, staying dedicated, sticking to boxing and becoming somebody,” Wintz said.

Wintz hopes the gym will draw young people from across New Amsterdam and the Corentyne. His own goal is to compete in Olympic qualifying tournaments and earn a place at the Games.

Lukesh Persaud
Lukesh Persaud