‘He was boxing!’ GBA to honour Poole with memorial international championship

In an effort to honour his legacy following his unexpected passing, the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will stage the inaugural Terrence Poole Memorial International Boxing Championship in October 2025.

The event, which will be an annual affair and feature participation from several Caribbean nations, will be open to all age categories and weight divisions.

GBA Technical Director Poole unexpectedly passed away on October 2. He was 60.

According to reports, Poole complained of feeling unwell following the conclusion of his routine morning jog.

He was subsequently rushed to the hospital following difficulty breathing and unfortunately passed away, throwing the fraternity into a state of mourning.

GBA President Steve Ninvalle said, “Terrence Poole’s legacy and contribution to boxing are unquestionable. This is a simple but significant step in immortalising Poole’s legacy, which has been instrumental in the development of the sport and which, in the long term, has afforded the association and, by extension, the nation, the platform to dominate the English-speaking Caribbean.”

According to Ninvalle, Poole was an exceptional administrator, who was able to provide the necessary support and guidance to the community given his experience, overall knowledge and love for the sport.

He conceded that administrators of Poole’s ilk are hard to find in the sport’s fraternity, which lends further credence to the importance that he had within the sport.

Ninvalle further elaborated, “As an administrator, his love for the sport was second to none, and this was evident not only in his work ethic but in his interactions and relationships with the local and regional fraternity.”

“He will certainly be hard to replace not only locally but also regionally, given his contributions towards the development of the sport in the region. Poole’s passing leaves a massive hole that simply cannot be filled overnight. He will surely be missed both inside and outside the squared circle. He was boxing.”