taken another step in its stunning comeback.

Bermuda Police Boxing Section, dormant for the past two years, yesterday announced it was set to join in the revival of the once-thriving sport.

With new facilities at their disposal, the Police will begin training for boxers on Monday and have signed on to co-promote an amateur card with the Bermuda Amateur Boxing Association on May 30.

The addition of Police, one of the prominent clubs in the sport's glory days of the 1970s and '80s, brings to three the number of amateur programmes now on the Island. Former professional trainer Alan (Forty) Rego and new BABA president Kevin (Mannix) Simmons initiated the comeback by starting programmes late last year.

"It feels real good. Things are really looking up,'' said Simmons yesterday.

"Now what we're really striving for is the Olympics.'' BABA are also striving for a club in St. George's and while there are individuals to organise, a place to train remains a major obstacle, Simmons added.

The Police Boxing Section had also found itself without a home following closure of the former Police Cadet School on Glebe Road. For a couple of months they were able to utilise a gym in the former Prospect girls school but that was then taken over by Works and Engineering.

But now the former girls school gymnasium, located between CedarBridge Academy and the Police Training School, has been refurbished and will be available for boxers to train in every Monday and Wednesday between 5.30 and 7.00 p.m., said BABA and Police Boxing spokesman Craig Morfitt.

While the gym is open to all boxers, Morfitt said Police were especially interested in attracting juniors to train with them.

The Boxing Section is expected to purchase new equipment for the gym shortly, with funds coming from the May 30 card at Bermuda College.

The card is one of the initiatives of the new BABA committee, and Simmons said he was hoping to add others "at least every three months and hopefully every other month.'' Police Boxing Section has extensive experience in organising fight cards and also has the only portable boxing ring on the Island, "so the partnership (with the BABA) is an ideal one,'' Morfitt said.

The fight card is open to any amateur boxer in Bermuda and is expected to draw participants from the three gyms. Aiming for a "family type of event,'' Morfitt said alcohol would not be served at next month's card at the Stonington Campus.

Simmons said BABA wanted to show parents "how clean and safe (boxing) is.

(The image) that boxing means brawling, guys are mean, drink a lot, go to jail isn't like that at all. We have to prove it.''