The energy was electric at the 2025 OECS Invitational Boxing Championship as young fighters from across the Caribbean and the Americas converged in Saint Lucia for three days of intense and exhilarating bouts.
Organized by the Saint Lucia Boxing Association in partnership with the OECS Commission and supported by the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority and the Embassy of France to the OECS, the event has cemented itself as a premier fixture on the regional boxing calendar.
“This is the culmination of the OECS Boxing Championships,” declared David “Shakes” Christopher, President of the Saint Lucia Boxing Association. “And if I could use one word to describe it, it’s superrific.”
Now in its second year, the OECS Invitational brought together teams from across the Eastern Caribbean and beyond, including Grenada, Trinidad, and other regional neighbors. “We even had the Trinidad rugby team here, diplomats, ambassadors, everyone came out,” said Christopher. “It only gets better from here.”
The event, held at a new venue in the heart of Saint Lucia’s tourism belt, delivered both in spectacle and strategy. “This is the best venue we’ve had,” Christopher explained. “We’re uptown, we’re in the touristic area, and we even had shuttles running from Harbor Club, bringing in guests who got to enjoy the action ringside.”
For many of the young boxers, it was their first time competing in an international 24×24 professional-standard ring. “This is the only international ring in the Caribbean,” Christopher noted. “One of our fighters told me he had to adjust because it was his first time fighting in an air-conditioned room, it changes the breathing, the rhythm. But this is how champions are made.”
The championship was streamed live, and Christopher revealed that even boxing legend Lennox Lewis took note. “He messaged us after seeing the broadcast and said, ‘That ring is beautiful.’ That’s the quality we’re working with.”
Adding to the chorus of praise, Chris Gustave of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority highlighted the deeper impact of the event.
“It was amazing seeing such talented athletes, from across the region, demonstrate not just physical skill, but heart and discipline,” said Gustave. “Boxing, like other sporting disciplines, plays a powerful role in sports tourism. Events like these draw regional and international visitors, create lasting economic value for local businesses, and most importantly, give our youth a platform to rise. Nurturing young talent through events of this caliber is critical, not just for sport, but for nation-building.”
