CANADIAN BOXING, BLUEPRINT FOR CHANGE

BOXING CANADA PLANS FOR CHANGE: By Brian Zelley

GETTIN BEYOND THE HERE AND NOW
A good starting point for members of BOXING CANADA
as they prepare a stategic plan for the next 8 years that will
include the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games.

The starting point was the 40 or so members from across Canada
that took the time and effort to discuss and plan for
a bright future in Canadian amateur boxing.

It is unknown at this date how the plan will be finalized,
but a wise thing that should be done is for the proposed plan
to be drafted into a discussion paper so all interested individuals
and groups are able to review, discuss and comment on the key issues
and suggestions. In recent days, some members of BOXING NOVA SCOTIA
have been studying the strategic plan. Hopefully, once they get a full
understanding of the issues and proposals constructive comments will
be possible. It is hoped that members of other Provincial Associations
will get the same opportunity to participate in this member focused plan.

BEYOND THE PLANS COMES THE ACTION

BOXING in NEWFOUNDLAND to NOVA SCOTIA

BOXING in NEWFOUNDLAND: by Brian Zelley

NEWFOUNDLAND BOXING FLASHBACKS 1997

The sport of amateur boxing on the Island of Newfoundland is not
as high profile as many other Provincs, but they do have a history.

JUNE 1997 MOMENTS TO REMEMBER

DOUG FOWLER would bere-elected for his sixth ther
as president of BOXING NEWFOUNDLAND. Some of the
other names of interest were Randell Rideout,
Kevin Greeley, Ian MacNeil and Mike Summers.

Some of the boxing clubs were:
Conception Bay South Boxing club,
Hilltop Boxing Club and Twin Cities Boxing club.
One of the boxers to remember was Donnie Hunt.

THE HERE AND NOW, 2000 to 2011
The Republic Boxing club and two key names associated
with the club are Jason Hayward and Eddie Raymond.
Around 2005/2006, Hayward was a fine young featherweight boxer.

In 2008, Jason "Too Sweet" Hayward was training
in Halifax, Nova Scotia and fighting as a super bantamweight
and a bantamweight. He briefly held the Canadian Super
Bantamweight title from October 2006 to March 2007 and in 2008
he lost to Andrew Kooner for the Bantamweight title.
he

PAN AM GAMES

CANADIAN PAN AM GAMES BOXING:
PAST and PRESENT CANADIAN BOXING
by brian zelley

As Canadian boxers prepare to participate
in the 2011 Pan Am Games in Mexico, it is
a good time to flashback to past tournaments
to touch on the history and the acnievements
of the many boxers such as 1975 Gold medal
winner Chris Clarke. One of the 2011 boxers
that hopes to follow in the footsteps of Clarke
will be BRODY BLAIR.

FLASHBACKS 1967
As we look back one of the teams was the
1967 team including Walter Henry, Frank Scott,
Wayne Boyce, Gerald Ratte, Dick Findlay,
Freddy Fuller, Donato Paduano and Marijan Kolar.

BOXING CANADA The Road Ahead

THE NEW BEGINNING FOR CANADIAN BOXING; By Brian Zelley

Before we can start the NEW BEGINNING for 2011/2012
we must ask the following question:
are BOXING CANADA, The provincial associations and
each and every amateur boxing club READY,
WILLING and ABLE to meet the challenge of
GROWTH, OPPORTUNITY and ACTIVITY or will it be
BACK TO BLACK?

THE FOUNDATION
The foundation starts at the club level and each
club must be given the support and encouragement
from their Provincial Amateur Boxing Associations
to participate, and the starting point is growth,
followed by an opportunity to have regular boxing
cards and to work with other regional clubs for
greater training opportunitiesw and activity.

BC Hall of Fame

2011 nominations - 24 Choices

no decision has been made, but by July 1, 2011 it will be time to
consider the 24 choices by the administrators and then the second year
for the BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING HALL OF FAME will be complete.

Boxer Alan Brown in black at the 1984 Canadian Olympic team training site.

DAVE WYLIE

Dave Wylie along with 1967 opponent and 1968 teammate Freddy Fuller.
Dave was named BV Golden Boy in 1967

JAMIE OLLENBERGER

Two-time BC Golden Boy,Jamie Ollenberger was a popular boxer who would turn pro.
sadly, he was lost in 1991 from a vehicle crash.

SASKATCHEWAN BOXING

SASKATCHEWAN AMATEUR BOXING:  By Brian Zelley

BOXING SASKATCHEWAN

Regulates the sport of amateur boxing 
-  the 2010/11 Board of Directors
Frank Fiacco, Marlo Pritchard, Fitzroy Solomon,
Don Racette, Joe Stack, Tammy Mason, 
Morgan Williams, Mike Kucik, Armin Roettger.


Executive-Director - GRAHAM CRAIG.


BOXING CLUBS - Past and Present

BLACK COBRA BOXING CLUB - Gravelbourg

Club Official - ROSS ANDERSON.

GRASSLAND BOXING CLUB - Ponteix

Contact - MIKE KUCIK

HUB CITY BOXING CLUB - Saskatoon

Coach - JOE STACK



LONSDALE BOXING CLUB - Regina


Coaches:  Frank Fiacco and Ivan Lyon.


NEW LINE BOXING ACADEMY - Regina


Contact - MOSES ALLI


PRINCE ALBERT BOXING CLUB


Contact - Bob Tichkowsky

REGINA BOXING CLUB

The Regina Boxing club was founded in 1947 by KEN GOFF
and is host to the KEN GOFF MEMORIAL BOXING CLASSIC
which has been kept alive through the efforts of George Goff and Pat Fiacco.

SOO LINE BOXING - WEYBURN

(kneeling - Morgan Williams and Ian Weir)

In 1974, IAN WEIR mved to Victoria, BC and would be part of Victoria and

London Boxing Clubs and his last bout would be in 1976

later he would serve as an official and then coach in Victoria

along with Don Orr and Mike Caird.

MORGAN WILLIAMS would serve as a boxing official

and travel to British Columbia to be part of the

1984 JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

one of the Saskatchewan boxers was WESLEY SUNSHINE

WEYBURN SOO LINE BOXING CLUB - SEVENTIES - WEYBURN, SASKATCHEWAN

Current club contact - ARMIN ROETTGER 
Former Coach - Hank Hartenberger
 (also an inductee - Saskatchewan  Sports Hall of Fame)

THE BOXERS - PAST and PRESENT

  

                      BRODY PIGEON - Active boxer 2011
                                          (photo by Maurice Laprairie)


Some other recent boxers:
Cody Dill, Heath Dionne, Jared Clarke, Lucas Allan,
Marco Muller, Patrick Thibault, Rob Umbach, Stuart Twardzik.

ADAM FAUL - 1948 Canadial Olympic Boxing Team
(Inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame).


EIGHTIES
Some of the boxers from the Eighties were:
Wesley Sunshine, Trent Latham, Jeff Hill and Steven Penrod.


1983 SASKATCHEWAN BOXER OF THE YEAR - CURTIS FIDLER


CURTIS FIDLER of the Prince Albert Boxing Club was recipient of
"The John Galon Trophy".  He started boxing in 1980. 
With Curtis at the trophy presentation was
JOE WEBB, Provincial Boxing Coach.


NEWS and VIEWS

CANADIAN NATIONAL TEAM BOXERS to arrive at REGINA BOXING CLUB
for several days of training prior to two International boxing shows against
TEAM ENGLAND.

http://www.thetelegram.com/Sports/2010-09-27/article-1796354/Battle-of-the-Atlantic/1

http://www.thetelegram.com/Sports/2010-09-27/article-1796354/Battle-of-the-Atlantic/1

CANADIAN AMATEUR BOXING CLUBS

AMATEUR BOXING CLUBS by brian zelley


(excluding Ontario and Quebec)

From British Columbia to New Foundland, there are hundreds of
boxing clubs.  Each one has a mission and a purpose. They try
to follow the rules of  BOXING CANADA and the Provincial
Associations such as boxing bc, boxing alberta and  others.


BRITISH COLUMBIA CLUBS

Starting with British Columbia, a list of the active clubs
 can be found on the BOXING BC web site.  Some
have the history of 40 years include Campbell River Eagles
now  Campbell River Boxing  and Fitness another Island 
club of long duration is the Nanaimo Boxing Club.  


There are numerous clubs from Action Boxing Club to the 
Williams Lake Boxing Club with Gary McLellan and 
Rick Albrechtsen.


Some older clubs include:
Prince George Spruce Capital, Cranbrook Eagles Boxing, 
and the Vancouver based Astoria Boxing Club.

        (location of the Action Boxing Club - Terry Cooke
         and original site of the Astoria Boxing Club
          with the Boyce family of Vancouver Boxing)


ALBERTA BOXING CLUBS


a large number of clubs scattered in the big cities and the 
small  towns from the Bowmont Boxing club in calgary
 to the the Slave Lake Boxing Club with LEE TANGHE 
Then there is the Calgary Boxing Club home to Alex Rynn






SASKATCHEWAN BOXING CLUBS


Sample of active clubss:
Black Cobra Boxing - Ross Anderson
Hub City Boxing - Joe Stack
Lonsdale Boxing - Frank Fiacco
Lambs Boxing - Aaron Cross

                                (from Boxing Saskatchewan website)




MANITOBA BOXING CLUBS


Sample of  boxing clubs:
Alliance Boxing, Eastman boxing, United Boxing, 
Pan-Am Boxing and Go-Jo Boxing.

                    (from Brandon Boxing Club, Manitoba)


NOVA SCOTIA BOXING CLUBS 


Albion Boxing - Jim Worthen
Citadel Boxing - Wayne and Taylor Gordon
Pegasus Boxing - Bruce Harkness


NEW BRUNSWICK BOXING


.The Saint John Golden Gloves ABC
.Charlotown's Ko-Ed Boxing Club
.Kentville Evangeline Boxing Club


NEWFOUNDLAND and LABRADOR  BOXING


A sample of clubs include TRC in St. John's and
The Conception Bay South Boxing Club.

BOXING BC - 2011 Diamond Belt

http://www.bclocalnews.com/sports/114755874.html

LALLY, PEGUES and SEEHRA, the never ending boxing story

THE KENNY LALLY, JAG SEEHRA and BOB PEGUES story continues:
by brian zelley

http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/pgfreepress/sports/114599839.html

For some of us , following the performance of Bob, Jag and Kenny is a pleasure.
The Prince George news media has done a good job of tracking their combined
journey.

For me, it is a different sort of interest that began in 1969.  I still remember that teenager
named BOB PEGUES wanting a boxing club in Nanaimo.   Well fast forward through the
decades and the recent years since 2000 has been an interesting story of Bob and his
boxers in Prince George.

The recent performances of KENNY LALLY  and JAG SEEHRA were exceptional.

All three have many hopes, wishes and dreams,  but thinking back to 1969 and the wide-eyed
teenager named Bob confirms that sometimes hopes are realized and dreams come true.

Where my Journey Began: Sackville, New Brunswick, aims to Rebuild Bob Edgett’s Boxing Club

THE CANADIAN BOXING STORY:  By Brian Zelley

 BOB EDGETT is one of many that have made a significant contribution to Canadian boxiung.

The story by Gregg Ross is one of many on the role of Bob Edgett.

The story touches on the experience of one G Ross and his experience at the Bob Edgett  boxing club.

Once uon a time, there was an interesting story about Bob in the magazine "Boxing Illustrated"

Where my Journey Began: Sackville, New Brunswick, aims to Rebuild Bob Edgett’s Boxing Club
- as reported in the East Side boxing site -

BOXING ON VANCOUVER ISLAND

ALAN BROWN - VIC MURDOCH - BRIAN ZELLEY

BOXING ON VANCOUVER ISLAND

coach george nepper and boxers 1967

dale walters - victoria match

victoria atheletic association - training

some names to remember from the eighties in Nanaimo

DEAN BOHM - MIKE MURRAY -

PETE SEGGIE - JOE PRESTON 

Making the seconds count - Sports - The News (New Glasgow)

BRODY BLAIR - 2011 A Team member - BOXING CANADA

Making the seconds count - Sports - The News (New Glasgow)

Interesting article that focuses on Blair's arrival onto the 2011 A-Team
and some comments from 1984 Olympic boxer Wayne Gordon

2011 - The A-Team's Journey and Boxing Canada Teams

Four of the Team A members -
 Rynn -  Ulysse -  Lally - Laviolette
(photo courtesy - Alex Torres Rynn)

The important next step for the boxers is to engage in more International competition
to work towards the selection process for the 2012 London Olympic Games which will not be easy based on past situations but a repeat of 1984 or 1988 would be welcome news for Canadian boxing

As time goes by, we will focus on all of the team members and the
B-team which includes Jag Seehra:

\

Jag and Bob, April 2010, a dorothy zelley photo


Another 2011 A-TEAM member  - BRODY BLAIR  -  Nova Scotia.
(See story from New Glasgow that covers Blair and coach Wayne Gordon).
Title - "Making The Seconds Count"


************************************************
2011 A TEAM MEMBERS:

                     kenny - alex -
                     yves - samir


Benoit Fleury - Kenny Lally 
 Joey Laviolette - Alex Rynn 
 Yves Ulysse - Custio Clayton
Brody Blair - Janathan Savard
Samir El Mais - Simon Keane


**************************************


CLUBS, HOME BASE, COACHES
 of the A-Team:


Starting from the west, we have
KENNY LALLY from Prince George. 
His coach is BOB PEGUES
who began boxing -  Seventies
-  Nanaimo Boxing Club -   

                     Coach - Bob Pegues


From ALBERTA we have ALEX RYNN
representing the Calgary Boxing
Club.  His coach is  KEVIN MCDERMOTT.

OPERATION LONDON :  by brian zelley
- 2012 olympic games -


We all know what the end game
for Boxing Canada is, but to avoid
being left at the starting gate, 
the team must do the best 
in the various tournaments in 2011, 
the most important will be the
World Amateur Championships,
but the Pan American Games 
may be a valuable alternative 
for some 
A-team and B-team members, 
then there are women boxers with 
MARY SPENCER in the lead role.
********************************


THE NEXT ROUND - AT THE BELL


PAN AMERICAN GAMES - 2011

SEPTEMBER 2011 - AIBA - 

CANADIAN SENIOR WOMEN 
THE 2011 CHAMPIONS

                 (Source - BOXING CANADA - news and reports-)


A good cross-section of woman boxers from across Canada
from SUSAN HAAS (Alberta) and the Quebec war machine.
Then Ontario with MANDY BUJOLD - MARY SPENCER
and MELINDA WATPOOL.

2011 JUNIOR BOXING NATIONALS - senior box-offs

JUNIOR/YOUTH BOXING NATIONALS
Tournament scheduled for January 18 - 22, 2011, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec.

52 kg - expected boxers include BC boxer CODY BROWN,
and opponents expected Jessie Rochar (Alberta), Tajinder Lall
and Zack Ridgewell of Ontario.

SENIOR A and B TEAMS

Expected to be a hot competition will be lightweight
division with AYAN HUSSAIN, JAG SEEHRA, ALEX RYNN,
CAM O'CONNELL.

1968 - BC BOXERS

THE LAST OF THE OLD DAYS

Some of the BC boxers to engage in a shot at the Olympics
were Frank Scott, Ron McEachern, Freddy Fuller,
Dick Findlay, Chester Douglas, Patrick O'Reilly,
Rick Fleck, Darryl Olsen, Earl McLeay and Gordon Sinclair.

El-Mais closes in on Olympic bouts

El-Mais closes in on Olympic bouts

In the story, the Windsor Star got it wrong concerning the
middleweght women's National championships.

the BRODY BLAIR story

BRODY BLAIR The Boxer: by brian zelley

December 2010 marks the start of another boxing journey for
Nova Scotia amateur middleweight BRODY BLAIR. It has been a few decades since the name Blair became a Canadian and Nova Scotia boxing name
and that was middleweight BLAIR RICHARDSON.

In December, Brody became the new senior open (elite) middleweight
champion But, his boxing journey began a number of years ago and
he first became a national prospect when he won a title in the
2009 Youth National boxing championships at Edmonton, Alberta.
Some of the other champions included Nanaimo's STEFAN MELIDEO,
BC's Robert Couzens, New Brunswick's Mitch Cormier and
Kyle Gross. and Ontario's Matt Flynn.

THE GOLDEN MOMENT
An article called Golden Moment was produced by Adam Richardson
of THE NEWS (New Glasgow). The article would disclose the travels of
Brody from New Glasgow to Halifax to train under 1984 Olympic boxer
WAYNE GORDON.

In 2009, BRODY BLAIR would join other Canadian boxers including Melideo,
Cormier and Couzens in a joint tournament with Puerto Rico.

2011 CANADA GAMES BOXING - by B. Zelley

BOXING NOVA SCOTIA Announces the team for the 2011 Canada Games in Nova Scotia. Team coaches include WAYNE GORDON and BRIAN ARCHIBALD.Some of the boxers are JASON DOWNEY and TAYLOR GORDON.

BOXING BC
One of the early public announced BC boxers is JESSY BROWN.

2010/2011 BOXING ACTION

THREE ALBERTA BOXERS SHINE

At the BOXING ALBERTA 2010/2011Provincial Championships in Calgary,
three of the top stars were
DARREN ORUBOR (Calgary), NORMAN BRADFORD (Edmonton) and CAM O'CONNELL
from Red Deer.

THE BEST OF THE BEST AMATEUR BOXERS

THE BEST OF BOXING CANADA: by brian zelley

Attempting to select the top 25 Canadian amateur boxers of all time is a subjective game based on our understanding of the sport and our experiences. Thus, it is likely the same 25 would not appear on all lists.

As a starting point, the select seven would stand a good chance of being on many lists:
EDDIE HADDAD, HAROLD MANN, DONATO PADUANO, WALTER HENRY, IAN CLYDE, LENNOX LEWIS and MICHAEL STRANGE.

For BRITISH COLUMBIA amateur boxing, some of the other ones that should be considered are:
JIMMY WALTERS, DICK FINDLAY, FREDDY FULLER, FRANK SCOTT, LES HAMILTON, CHRIS IUS and DALE WALTERS.

BRITISH COLUMBIA - AMATEUR BOXING - hall of fame

BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING HALL OF FAME by brian zelley

As there is another blog for the hall of fme, I will only report the results for 2010:

BUILDERS - DAVE BROWN, ELIO IUS, FRED FULLER, PAT O'REILLY and RICK BROUGH

BOXERS - Eddie Haddad,Harold Man, Jimmy Walters, Fred Desrosiers, Dick Findlay.
Freddy Fuller, Frank Scott, Chris Ius, Dale Walters, and Manny Sobral

2010 Administrators/Directors: - Ray Beaulieu, Scott Galloway, Steven Kodiak,
Daniel McGarvie, Steve Wood and Brian Zelley.

Administrators/Diretors for 2011 will be named in December 2010
also the honorary directors will be named in December.

NOTE: This Hall of Fame is not a project of BOXING BC or BOXING CANADA.
It is established mainly by former members of British Columbia amateur boxing.
However, members of Boxing BC are welcome to be members of the group to recognize'
the achievements of boxers and builders and the history of amateur boxing in
BRITISH COLUMBIA

1980 - 1989 Canadian Boxing

A GOLDEN DECADE OF CANADIAN AMATEUR BOXING - 1980 - 1989: By Brian W. Zelley

The Eighties gave us many interesting stories in Canadian Amateur Boxing, on a provincial level,
a dawning of a new age would begin for British Columbia and regions like Vancouver Island
with the revival of the BC Diamond Belt tournament at Victoria in 1980.

In Olympic Games history, it started off on the wrong side with the boycott of the Moscow Olympic Games.
But, in 1984 at Los Angeles, Canadian boxers WILLIE DEWIT, SHAWN O'SULLIVAN and DALE WALTERS would win medals
and set the stage for various medals in subsequent Commonwealth Games and the 1988 Olympic Games and the
additional medal victories. Some of the Canadian boxers in 1988 Olympic Games were alumni of the 1984
Junior Nationals that took place in Burnaby, BC such as SCOTTY OLSON and MANNY SOBRAL.

Looking back there were many talented Canadian boxers with various terms as a Canadian Champion and high level performance on the International stage - a sample of names to remember:

Lennox Lewis, Ray Downey, Scott Olson, Asif Dar, Steve Beaupre, Steve and Jaime Pagendam, Dan Sherry,
Eggerton Marcus, Howard and Otis Grant, Gregory Gayle and many more.

BOXING BC - 1980 to 1989

Attempting to highlight the Boxing BC story in the Eighties is an interesting case study from 1980 Diamond Boy
GARY ROBINSON, to Canadian senior champions Champions such as DALE WALTERS, WAYNE WELSH, JOE PENDRY,
MANNY SOBRAL and GERONIMO BIE. Then there were the many boxers that performed on a regular basis from
Vancouver Island to the Alberta border:
Who could forget AL HARPER, ALAN BROWN, ALEX BANKIER, CLIFF BALLENDINE, CLINT DUMAIS, DEEP BUTTER,
GARY WOOD, GORDON JONES, KIT MUNRO, MIKE WOOD, SCOTT and TIM CESSFORD, TONY DUFFY, and WILLY CURRY.

Then there were the many officials and coaches such as officials - AL YOUNG, BERT LOWES, FRED FULLER, RICK BROUGH,
RON WHALLEY, VIC MURDOCH, and many others.

1977 - 1979 The Canadian Boxing Story

1977 - 1979: THE CANADIAN AMATEUR BOXING STORY continues

As we roll along following the 1976 Olympics into the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, boxer IAN CLYDE
continues to tick away like a well oiled watch that appears to last forever, but over the three year period
there would be others that would appear for a little while. Some would be there for the three years stretch
such as BILL RANELLI,, or for a two year period such as DERRICK HOYT (The Pride of Cranbrook, BC). and
ROGER FORTIN and JOHN RAFFERTY. Some other names of interest was Spruce Capital's LAURIE MANN and
NOLAN, DOWNEY & BLAND from the east and not to be forgotten was KELLY PERLETTE.

In 1978 the Canadians did well in the Commonwealth Games with KELLY PERLETTE and ROGER FORTIN
being two standouts, but Canadians won their share of medals with the likes of IAN CLYDE winning silver
and a number of bronze medal winners including RODDY MACDONALD and GUY BOUTIN.

1976 - SPRUCE CAPITAL Boxer - McKnight

SID MCKNIGHT was a fresh new face in Canadian National amateur boxing and joined other champions
such as the veteran Ian Clyde and others such as Cleveland Denny, Chris Clarke, Chris Ius and Carmen Rinke.

Looking back to his term in boxing from 1970 to 1979, the year 1976 turned out to be a glorious year
for the Prince George boxer from the Spruce Capital Boxing Club. During the Seventies, he was
an active boxer in all sorts of tournaments from Bronze Gloves to Golden Gloves.

In time he would be recognized and inducted into the Prince George Hall of Fame
to join others from Harold Mann to Jack Meda and be a permanent boxing hero in
Prince George.

In 1976, Sid was part of the Canadian OLympic Boxing team to participate in
the MONTREAL OLYMPIC GAMES. Others were Ian Clyde, Chris Ius, Camille Huard,
Carmen Rinke, Michael Prevost, Bryan Gibson, and Roger Fortin.

It was a tough Olympics with a blue chip USA team that included:
Leon & Michael Soinks, Ray Leonard, Howard Davis and Davey Armstrong.
Then there were the Cuban boxers such as Tefilio Stevenson.

1975 - CHRIS CLARKE arrives

CHRIS CLRKE JOURNERY: by brian zelley


1975 was the year of the Pan Am Games and one of the stars was Canadian boxer CHRIS CLARKE.

CHRIS was one of eleven Canadian champions. Chris joined returning champions Ian Clyde, Cleveland Denny,
Michael Briere, Michael Prevost, and Bryan Gibson. Another interesting new champion was CARMEN RINKE.

When all is said and done, 1975 belongs to Nova Scotia boxer CHRIS CLARKE. In the Pan Am Games he defeated
AARON PRYOR to win Gold to join the likes of USA boxers DAVEY ARMSTRONG and RAY LEONARD, and Cuban sensation
TEFILIO STEVENSON. Some other names were LEON SPINKS and TREVOR BERBICK.

The Chris Clarke story would continue into 1976 when he moved from lightweight to light-welterweight where he defeated Victoria, BC boxer WAYNE CROWE and joined the 1976 Canadian Olympic Team. Later he would turn pro, and fight various boxers from CLYDE GRAY to SHAWN O'SULLIVAN, Lawrence Hafey and Dick Ekland.

1974 -Canadian Boxing Champions & Contenders

1973 - West vs East Canadian Boxing: By Brian W. Zelley

In 1973, it was an interesting East vs West match-up for the Canadian Amateur Boxing titles.
DON ORR was expected to face JULES BOSSE, but the actual match was
Victoria boxer WAYNE CROWE vs JULES BOSSE. Once again, Quebec's IAN CLYDE won the National senior
championships with a victory over BC boxer Rick Eady, but not all reigning champions were victorious.
Three time champion DALE ANDERSON was replaced by CAMILLE HUARD.

Richmond's BILL GARIEPY was expected to win a title, but it was STAN WILLIAMSON that had his arm raised.

In pre-fight publicity, some of the other line-ups were:
GUY BOUTIN vs TONY SALVATORE - CLEVELAND DENNY vs LORNE DAIGNEAULT - MICHAEL PREVOST vs STEVE TOHILL,

Back in the early part of the 1967-1968 boxing season, my first fight as a member of the Firefighters was
against Richmond's BILL GARIEPY of which I won the decision, so it was nice to see Gariepy move into Canadian National competition. WAYNE CROWE was fighting at the Victoria Boy's Club in 1974, and he would return to the National stage in 1976.

1973- Nanaimo Boxer Shines

1973 CANADIAN CHAMPIONS

As in 1972, returning champions were Caroll Morgan, Chris Ius, Dave Anderspn, Ian Clyde, and Marvin Arneson.
But there was a surprise from the west coast shores of Vancouver Island when Nanaimo boxer JACK SNAITH
earned the senior light-flyweight title. Then there were Leo Sauve and Denis Belaire

For Nanaimo boxing, it was a significant achievement for the club had started
less than two years earlier in the summer of '71. The story behind the formation
of the Nanaimo Boxing Club is interesting. Of interest, three of the key players of the new club
had former connections of Vancouver Firefighters Boxing Club under the direction of Bert Lowes and Pat West.
The three being co-founders Brian Zelley and Dan Wright and Canadian champion Jack Snaith.

1972 - The Dawn of the Elite Champion

(Photos - Ian Clyde, and fight picture referee Joe Cooke and boxer Les Hamilton).....



THE DAWN OF THE FIRST OF THE ELITE CHAMPIONS (1969 -2010) By Brian Zelley

In many ways the year 1972 was much the same as 1971 with seven returning champions
including Ius, Hamilton, Anderson, Martinez, Arneson, Guindon and French,
but a fresh new star was about to step on the stage and his name was IAN CLYDE.
Another new boxing star would be CAROLL MORGAN who would replace Jack Meda as the
amateur Canadian heavyweight king.

Some of the returning champions such as CHRIS IUS would be around after 1972 and some wouldn't.
Of course, for those in British Columbia, the Ius name was well know with the likes of Elio Ius (boxer and coach),
Mel Ius, David Ius and then Chris Ius.

1971 - MARVIN ARNESON and JACK MEDA remain champions

1971: CANADIAN SENIOR AMATEUR BOXING CHAMPIONS

Prince George boxer JACK MEDA remained "King of the Heavyweights" and retained the Canadian Amateur Boxing Associations
heavyweight title in 1971. Another comeback kid was MARV ARNESON. JOSE MARTINEZ who was edged by FRANKIE SCOTT
in featherweight action at New WEstminster's "Queen Park Arena" came roaring back in 1971 to win a title.
Then there were those new champions such as DALE ANDERSON, CHRIS IUS and LESLIE HAMILTON.

1970 - THe Start of A New Decade

1970 - Changes In THe BC Golden Gloves

From 1939 to 1969, the BC Golden Gloves was always the standard for excellence in Boxing Tournaments
and quality competition. One exception was the 1967 BC International Diamond Belt tournament that
sets the mark for excellence in competition, organization and public awareness..

However, in 1970 the BCABA (Boxing BC) changed the ground rules of who would host and sponsor
the annual event. And for 1970 that who would be the British Columbia Amateur Boxing Association.
In other provinces, they were also dealing with start-up issues with the new era of CABA -
Canadian Amateur Boxing Association (Now called by the name of BOXING CANADA).

For Canadian boxing, the big National Tournament would take place in New Westminster, British Columbia
at the Queen's Park Arena in May of 1970. At the end of the tournament, except for 1969 light-flyweight champion
NEIL AUSTIN, the "69 crew were replaced. Of interest, one of the new champions was New Westminster's FRANKIE SCOTT/
Frankie, however, was no fresh young rookie. In 1966, he won a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games.

When the tournament ended and the bright lights were turned off, the champions were"
Austin, Cooke, Scott, Arneson, Fuller, Doiron, Malish, OLsen, and Meda.

For heavyweight JACK MEDA of Prince George. he had come a long way since tha first venture
into open class boxing in 1967 when he lost to Seattle's WESLEY CRAVEN in the 1967 BC Golden Gloves..

1969 A New Beginning

1969 A NEW BEGINNING : By Brian W. Zelley, B. Com, C A

As the excitement of the 1968 Olympic Games faded with the likes of DICK FINDLAY, WALTER HENRY an DONATO PADUANO
there would be a new beginning in Canadian boxing with the formation of the CANADIAN AMATEUR BOXING ASSOCIATION
and a team led by the likes of JERRY SHEARS.

When it was time to carve the names of the new champions on the wall, one champion from 1968 was still standing
- WALTER HENRY was his name. Then there would be other young ones like NEIL AUSTIN that would carry the torch forward into the SEVENTIES sand others like PAT O'REILLY that showed promise in 1968 tournaments such as the combined
1968 BC Diamond Belt Tournament and BC Olympic Trials and another name of note was the SUMMERHAYES name.

So 1969 was like a bridge that crossed between two eras of amateur boxing and would open the door for a parade of stars
in the Seventies with the ultimate warrior of the Seventies being IAN CLYDE who would serve as the bridge builder into the dawn of the Eighties.