By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FORMER professional boxer “Marvelous” Marvin Smith said he’s gracious that his employers have agreed to step in and sponsor his Emancipation Day Boxing Show.

Smith, who has been employed as a foreman for Enviroscape for the past 12 years, received a cheque from president Geno Kemp and vice president Nicolette Kemp-Johnson for his inaugural Emancipation Day Box Arama to be held on the Cynthia “Mother” Pratt Community Park at Fifth Street and Coconut Groove on Monday, August 5, starting at 6pm. 

“I’ve decided to give these young kids the exposure to compete because somebody did it for me when I was coming up as an amateur fighter,” Smith said. “Hopefully, the wayward kids in the area would see the positivity of what we are doing and would turn to something more productive and more positive.”

Smith, a former super middleweight contender, said he has gotten the approval from the Bahamas Boxing Federation, headed by president Vincent Strachan, and will be working directly with Valentino Knowles, the president of the New Providence Boxing Association. 

During the night, Smith said he will honour Mother Pratt, now the Governor General of the Bahamas, as well as Nathaniel ‘Nat’ Knowles, one of the Bahamas’ premier amateur boxers and former national team coaches, for his contribution to the sport.

“They are both products of the Grove and they continue to live in the Grove and make their impact in the community,” Smith said. “So we’re happy to be able to honour and recognise them for their contributions.”

Smith, who grew up in the Grove, said he remembers how people gave him the opportunity to be seen and so he wanted to give back to the community.

“Hopefully, they would want to get into the ring and fight and not be out in the street fighting,” Smith said. “Sorry I took so long to do it, but what better place for me to do it than in the Grove where I grew up. 

“It’s so ironic that the same park that I am doing it, I actually grew up there in the 1980s. So I know what it is to be in the community and to be able to give back to the place that played a role in my early development.”

Also during the show, Smith and fellow retired boxer Kenny Smith will put on another three round exhibition match, similar to what they did recently at the amateur boxing show that was staged at the National Boxing Center for the late Ray Minus Jr. 

Smith said he’s really appreciative of Enviroscape for throwing their financial support behind his initial venture. 

“When I asked them to sponsor the event, they didn’t think twice,” he said. “It just shows the level of respect that they have for me and how much they value me as an employee. “This is my first time venturing into something like this and they are supporting me wholeheartedly. Hopefully we can work out everything and it becomes a staple. 

“Special thanks to Enviroscape for their tremendous support.”

Enviroscape, a member of the National Association of Landscape Professionals, has over 30 years of expertise in landscape maintenance and landscape construction for residential and commercial properties in The Bahamas. 

Their notice on their website that states that “we look forward to working with you on your project” fits right into the game plan by Smith, one of their long-time employees.