GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Dozens of young Gazans dream of becoming professional boxers and competing in international boxing championships. However, the single boxing ring in Gaza cannot help these youth make their dreams come true.
There is a severe shortage of boxing equipment and capabilities in Gaza, which has forced boxers to take turns using accessories, such as bag gloves, punching bags and even mouthguards.
Boxing is one of the oldest sports in the Palestinian territories — the Palestinian Boxing Federation was established in 1936. Yet the 1948 Palestinian exodus and the 1967 Israeli occupation, along with the subsequent wars, have prevented the youth from having interest in this sport and prompted them to focus on confronting the occupation, said Ali Abdel-Shafi, deputy head of the Palestinian Boxing Federation.
The Palestinian Sports Federation has been trying to revive this sport through local championships. These attempts, however, have faced huge obstacles. Abdel-Shafi told Al-Monitor, "There is only one boxing ring in Gaza, and there are no boxing clubs. This sport is done in sports clubs prioritizing activities such as football or basketball, which prevents us from identifying and developing talent." He noted that there are only 60 boxers and 10 coaches in Gaza.
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