KUCHING: The bell sounded at the National Boxing Championship Golden Gloves 2015 on Tuesday night, kicking off six days of action by boxers vying in the nine categories.

“This will be the battle ground for boxers from all over the country,” said tournament patron First Division Infantry Major General Dato Stephen Mundaw, during the opening at Kubah Ria Complex.

“Although this sport is synonymous with the Royal Malaysian Army (ATM), we hope having this championship in Sarawak will attract the attention of members of the public,” he added.

Boxing, he reminded, is a tough sport and not everybody will have what it takes to step into the ring.

“A boxer will only enter the ring when they are really ready in all aspects – physical, stamina, and mental.”

86 boxers representing 14 teams from various state associations, clubs and ATM are registered. Among them are 20 Sarawak ‘shadow boxers’ who are training for next year’s Sukma.

Also present was Sarawak Amateur Boxing Association (SABA) president Dato Rahman Lariwoo.

Golden Gloves 2015 is a collaborative effort of Sarawak Sports Council, Ministry of Social Development, First Division Infantry of the Royal Malaysian Army and the Malaysia Amateur Boxing Federation.

The organising committee comprised Sarawak Economic Development Corporation, Volunteer Corps, Royal Malaysian Police, RTM, Information Department and Kuching City North Commission (DBKU).