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Bermuda's plan to host the Caribbean Amateur Boxing Championships could be out for the count unless $200,000 sponsorship can be raised.

Boxing bosses had been given approval to stage the week-long festival, which would have seen 150 boxers from 20 countries arrive on the island in March, 2008.

But Gladwyn Bean, president of the Bermuda Boxing Association, said it was going to have to turn down the opportunity unless sponsors were found.

The Department of Tourism and various other organisations have already declined the opportunity to support the event and an application to Youth and Sport is pending.

"It's not been going very well. We can't seem to get sponsors," said Bean.

"It would be five nights of boxing, 20 bouts-a-night, good quality young boxers. We'd have a team of 12-15 boxers and it would be great experience for them."

He said boxing hadn't been the best organized sport in the past which perhaps explained why it was not attracting sponsors.

But he said CABA was an event worth supporting and would help take Bermuda's fighters to the next level as well as providing a showcase to the island.

Anyone who can help should call him on 297-7141.

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