T&T boxer Ortega Jorkhu was beaten by the closest of margins a week ago at the World Youth Championships in Alicante, Spain.
The performance, in spite of the result, was a positive one for manager/coach Reynold Cox and T&T boxing according to Cox, as he said they are continuing their drive to build a strong core of junior fighters that will eventually take over from the elite boxers.
Jorkhu, the son of former boxer Wendell Jorkhu, in his first fight in the round of 32 against Tuvshinzaya Otgonbayar of Mongolia, was off to a perfect start by taking the first round 4-1. However, the Mongolian rebounded to take the second round by the same margin 4-1 to set up a showdown in the final round.
In that round, Jorkhu gave all that he had but the officials called it 3-2 in favour of Otgonbayar. Cox said he was pleased with the performance, although his boxer lost the contest.
"We have observed that T&T fighters have been losing by close calls at international competitions and I think the time has come for us to, not only build on strong starts but to take it to the next level.
"I am hopeful that with the recent appointment of the T&T Boxing Board of Control, it will help in getting more fights for boxers that will enhance their preparation. We have not had boxing for more than two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the expiration of the boxing board, so now it will help the boxers in getting fights," Cox explained.
Only recently, Cox said due to the fact that there was no boxing board, coupled with the pandemic, the T&T Boxing Association was unable to select fighters to represent the country as they could not hold National Boxing Championships.
He noted that Jorkhu's performance has earned him a spot on the national team ahead of next year's Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, the Pan American Games and the Olympic Qualifiers. In spite of Jorkhu's loss, he would have achieved the much-needed experience that will take him ahead in the future.