Home|Sports|Major to throw his name in the hat for boxing federation presidentSports
Simba FrenchSend an emailJuly 21, 2022 111 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email
There is no date set as yet for the Bahamas Boxing Federation’s (BBF) election of officers but it is due to happen at some point this year. One of the persons who is interested in the presidency is retired boxer Meacher “Major Pain” Major.
Major has been around the sport since he was 12 years old and said he is not happy with the condition that the sport, which he loves, is in, locally.
“I love the sport of boxing, I know what it has done to help an inner city individual like myself and many others. I have no personal agenda. I just want to see it progress for the betterment of the sport for which I have sacrificed so much during the course of my career,” Major said.
The veteran boxer wants the sport to expand and for it to become a vehicle for sports tourism in the country.
“I know I am the one who can make the changes that is needed to evolve the sport. We need new ideas, new vision to inspire others to get involved on all levels. I know I have the experience, being one of Ray Minus’ first boxers when I started boxing in 1994. I have seen what was done, what can be done, what needs to be done to help the sport to become bigger and better for the upcoming generation of boxers. Boxing in The Bahamas can become a sports tourism tool. We need a new training camp facility which can allow international amateur and professional boxers to hold their training camps in The Bahamas,” Major said.
The 40-year-old commended coaches such as Keishno Major, Valentino Knowles and Kayla Johnson, and even professional boxer Tureano Johnson who offers guidance to aspiring young boxers. Major said they are making sacrifices to have the young people more involved in boxing. He said those coaches have inspired him to run for the presidency of the BBF.
If he wins the presidency, Major said he will have to step down from his position as a member of the Bahamas Boxing Commission. He also serves as regional director in the Pan American Caribbean Boxing Organization (PACBO).
Major is looking to help boxing programs on the Family Islands, knowing that it is not an easy task.
“We have never had this amount of former boxers become trainers in the history of The Bahamas,” Major said. “Inagua and Freeport have active boxing programs. Exuma and a few other Family Islands are interested in having boxing programs, so, once I become president, I want to be able to make those a reality. I know it’s not an easy task, and so much work needs to be done, but with God on our side, and an amazing team, we will succeed.”
The current BBF president is Vincent Strachan. He was voted in as president in 2018 and it is unclear if he is running for a second consecutive term.