Dedication pays off for young boxer

Dedication pays off for young boxer

Oshawa’s Evan Gillard makes Motor City Boxing history

Oshawa’s Evan Gillard makes Motor City Boxing history

Shelito Vincent Wins by a Fourth Round TKO over Alisah McPhee

Shelito Vincent Wins by a Fourth Round TKO over Alisah McPhee

McPhee appeared to be over matched in this her second only pro fight
In her pro debut, the best that she could do was to win a split decision.

Shelito Vincent Wins by a Fourth Round TKO over Alisah McPhee

Shelito Vincent Wins by a Fourth Round TKO over Alisah McPhee

McPhee appeared to be over matched in this her second only pro fight
In her pro debut, the best that she could do was to win a split decision.

Zsolt fights for Hungary

Boxer earns spot on Hungarian team

BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING HALL OF FAME

BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING HALL OF FAME: The Top 5: 1) Dale Walters, 2) Rick Brouigh, 3) Matt O'Brien, 4) Michael Olajide Jr., 5) Charles John and 66 more...click to see the rest.  There will be 11 new names added in 2014 including Jeff Yule

Canadian Boxing - 2014 Final Team Selection

FINDING THE 2014 A TEAM by Brian Zelley

As expected the featherweight and lightweight senior open divisions
or the 56kg and 60kg classes will have some interesting potential results,

For the featherweights, it will be some old familiar names:
Francois Pratte *****  Rodolpho Velasques
Kenny Lally  *********  Julio Escorcia

The Lighweights 
Based on the 2013 Canadian Golden Gloves,
and the 2014 Elite Men's Nationals, there 
is no one standout, any thing can happen
when the opening bell rings:

David Gauthier, Lucas Badhi, 
Alex Rynn and Brad Katona
Lucas is the youngest boxer in
this group and is trained by one
of our top all time boxers:
Billy Irwin.

                        Billy Irwin and some boxers
                    including Lucas, Josh and Gabe

The Women Boxing

It should be no surprise but the hot story

will be another bout between

Ariane Fortin vs Mary Spencer

 

The First Round of Action - Day 1

 

Well for the first evening of action

there were some surprises

and then the announcement

by Boxing Canada

that 2 A-Team member were out

BC's Kenny Lally took a pass, and

Nova Scotia's Custio Clayton was

out with a wrist injury.

 

And, for other A - team members

and Canadian champions all did not

go has planned.

 

Both Alex Rynn and Yves Ulysse

lost in their prelim bouts.

(see: https://www.facebook.com/BoxingCa

2014 JUNIOR and YOUTH NATIONALS IN QUEBEC

2014 CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

* Junior and Youth:  by Brian Zelley

The tournament takes place in Quebec City on November 17th.

The BC boxing team will cconsist of junior and Youth boxers and
and coaches Bob Pegues and Graham McIntosh along with team
manager Mehran Beghie aka Hotstuff.,

Boxers
Juniors - Curtis Anderson, Liam Tia, Austin Riggs,
and Noah Patterson 

Youth... Liam O'BRIEN, Cody BROWN  and Aj BOPARI

                         (photo courtesy of Graham McIntosh 
                            includes two of the Team BC boxers)


Ontario's Billy Irwin is presently in Quebec with
his boxers which includes brothers Josh and Gabe Lupia

Josh Lupia is scheduled for action in the youth
featherweight division which includes others
including: Kevin Grimard and Tommy Barnes

Gabe Lupia will be in the youth lightweight division
which includes: Cody Brown and Sheldon Wilcox.

2014 Potential Nominees CABWOF

'THE ROAD to the 2014 Boxing Wall: by Brian Zelley

2014 Potential Nominees CABWOF: Canadian Amateur Boxing Wall of Fame

The above link is the first of many steps that will be taken
before the final selection for January 1, 2014 and it begins
with twenty plus names, but there will be more by the end
of November 2013.  In includes current active boxer
Ariane Fortin of Quebec, and old timers like 1948 Olympic
boxer Eddie Haddad with Manitoba and British Columbia
boxing connections.  Then we have other suggestions
such as Empire Games gold medalist Wilf Greaves of
Alberta.  Then Ontario's Andrew Kooner.

Western Canada Nominees Canadian Amateur Boxing Wall of Fame

Western Canada Nominees Canadian Amateur Boxing Wall of Fame

Top Names in BC Boxing 1939 to 2012

Top Names in BC Boxing 1939 to 2012: Top names in various categories of boxers and/or builders connected to BC and they have all received a minimum of ten thumbs ... FROM various ranking sites

TNT Boxers fight at national tournament Thursday

TNT Boxers fight at national tournament Thursday

Blair moves to 2-0 at world boxing championships | The Chronicle Herald

Blair moves to 2-0 at world boxing championships | The Chronicle Herald

Blair moves to 2-0 at world boxing championships | The Chronicle Herald

Blair moves to 2-0 at world boxing championships | The Chronicle Herald

2014 Elite Canadian Championship competitor roster has been released - Regina Boxing Club

2014 Elite Canadian Championship competitor roster has been released - Regina Boxing Club
*The above link from the Regina Boxing Club.  See also:
http://zelleyonboxing.blogspot.ca/2013/10/2014-nationals-set-of-october-2013.html

RIVER TUCKER in action

RIVER TUCKER boxing journey
(the link below mentions one of River's bouts in 2011)
Goldibox and the BC Bronze Gloves - Parksville Qualicum News

* River Tucker is scheduled for action at the Ringside tournament in Kansas.

                   River "The Fox" Tucker

Canadian amateur boxing at the crossroads - July showdowns

BATTLE BETWEEN COMPETING GROUPS:  by brian zelley

Who would of thought that the month of July would be the
most significant month for two competing groups in the 
battle over  Amateur Boxing in Canada.

The primary body of Boxing Canada and the related 
provincial bodies have set the bar to a high level with
the staging of the first ever Canadian Golden Gloves
that takes place between July 16 to 21, 2013 in 
Cornwall, Ontario.  

The alternative group comprised of the 
Ontario Boxing Association (OBA) and the BC group
that go by the name of Combsport were expecting to
gather momentum of winning the hearts and minds of 
boxing fans with the WBC sponsored two province
version of a Canadian Amateur Boxing Championship
set for  July 19, 2013 in Langley, BC,but nobody would
have guessed that Boxing Canada would win out in the
publicity department with cross-Canada support from 
some high level VIP's. 

The Stage Is Set For Both Groups to Shine as best they can:

On a provincial level in British Columbia, the battle to win 
the top spot for amateur boxing has been waged for the last
several years. 

CHANGE of PLANS for the WBC - BC vs Ontario showdown:
*the decision why BC's Combsport  and Ontario's OBA 

changed the date to September is not clear, but it was 
good that it did not take place today Friday as the 
coverage of it would not be that great as the CANADIAN
GOLDEN GLOVES has much more effect and has a 
greater historical significance.  

CANADIAN GOLDEN GLOVES - Looking back & Looking forward

CANADIAN GOLDEN GLOVES tournaments: by brian zelley

Link to the past - a blueprint for the future

BC GOLDEN GLOVES - Looking back & Looking forward

* with the start of the initial Canadian  Golden Gloves tournament,
we have no idea if it will be an annual affair that reaches
 year 2020 and beyond. 

But, the success of the original "Sun Golden Gloves"
and the first six to seven years provides a perfect blueprint 
Boxing Canada as this tournament moves into subsequent years.

2013 CANADIAN GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPIONSHIP

The Birth of the Canadian Golden Gloves:

Introduction:

Tucked away in the body of a Boxing Canada story by

Raquel Ruiz on June 2, 2013 was reference to a first ever

Canadian Golden Gloves Championship to be held in

Cornwall, Ontario in July of 2013.

Nine days later, on the Boxing Canada site there was an

announcement of the tournament with the headlines:

"Inaugral Canadian Golden Gloves Championships.

In that article, the key spokesperson to talk about the event  

was Robert Crete of Boxing Canada.  Also, president 

Pat Fiacco had a small bit to say about the future.

Some specific details of the event are:

Location and site: Nav Centre in Cornwall, Ontario

which was the site of the 2012 Women's Elite 

Intercontinental tournament. 

Visions from the Past: 

* there has been no clear identification as to what factor

determined to host this first ever tournament, but there was

a time tracing back to 1946 in British Columbia when one of 

the key individuals behind the start of the Golden Gloves in

British Columbia by the name of William J. Finlay made his

hopes, wishes and dreams for the Canadian Golden Gloves.

"Billy's dream" was published in the 1946 "Sun Golden Gloves:

program February 14, 1946 on page five.  Now 67 years later

Billy's dream back in Vancouver, BC in 1946 is to become a reality

in Cornwall, Ontario in July 2013.

Names In The News: pre-tournament buzz 
* some of the expected boxers in the tournament are being 
mentioned in various newspapers in places like Brandon, 
and Cornwall. 

In the "Brandon Sun", Chris Jester's article was titled
"Brandon boxers set for Golden Gloves" mentions 
Natasha Armstrong and I. Hayden as two of the Brandon
based boxers.

Some names from Alberta ready for action are:
Eric Taylor, Robbie Cusine and Gwyn Lewis.  Taylor will
be in the crowded men's senior lightweight division with 
some top names such as Brad Katona of Manitoba,
Jag Seehra from British Columbia and David Gauthier
from Quebec. 

Good Vibrations from Boxing Canada
http://bit.ly/18lBu3m
* Some quality pre-tournament buzz from Boxing Canada
Raquel Ruiz leads the charge with a July 16, 2013 story.

Local Muay Thai fighter kicking it up notch

Boxer Cody Crowley involved in the boxing part of the gym.
Local Muay Thai fighter kicking it up notch

BOXING CANADA and PROVINCIAL ASSOCIATIONS

Whose who of Boxing Canada: by Brian Zelley

Ranking the boxers and builders

RANKING THE MANY NAMES:
*  Over time there will be changes in the 
rankings.  But, as of June 15th. the rankings
list has ANDREW KOONER at number one.  

http://www.ranker.com/list/boxing-canada-2000-to-2013/bzelley

July 5th.  Andrew is still in the top five at 4 spot.

Boxing Canada - 2000 to 2013

Canadian Amateur Boxing - the here and now:
  By Brian W. Zelley

Boxing Canada - 2000 to 2013  - The Link to the names
The above link gives a list of some of the names that created
 the buzz.  The beginning of this new era took began at the
2000 Candian senior nationals that took place in late 1999
in Campbell River.  But, many of the names listed in this
story were active in prior decades.

Beyond 2013:  the road ahead:  

The road beyond 2013 is now being carved out by the many
boxers from coast to coast in the Provincials as they 
prepare for action in October 2013 in the Nationals where 
the senior open boxers will be trying for a shot to make the
Canadian Commonwealth Games boxing team to engage in
medal hopes in 2014 in Glasgow.  Members of the current 
A and B teams will also be engaged such as Kenny Lally
Alex Rynn, Custio Clayton and Brody Blair.

 Brody Blair, Custio Clayton and Kenny Lally
will be ready willing and able to regain the title,
but the question that will fall on the shoulders of 
Prince George's Ken Lally will be what division will
he challenge to make the Commonwealth Team. 

THE ROAD WILL BE  A ROAD OF GLORY and PAIN 
And how many can be expected to survive the demands
and the ordeal, the rules and the regulations, 
the demands and the setbacks to be the
one to claim  "Gold in Glasgow"

The Rules before the free ticket is distributed:
* Boxing Canada lays down the challenge to one and all:

The Twisted Highway where only the strong of body and spirit
will survive to fight another day in Glasgow 2014.

Beyond the training camps and competition and they have not
even reached the starting gate for  Canadian team selection
to travel down the boxing highway to  glory and/or gold, or the
that much used path of broken dreams along the road to nowhere.

Step By Step to the open door or standing on the sidelines saying goodbye:

Then comes Christmas and will it be coal dust and a cloth to
wipe away the tears, or a two way ticket to glory and fame.
November 19 to 23rd. 2013 will be what we call the last chance.
But, even victory in the great box-off parade will not be a solid
guarantee for selection to the team, and some winners know 
very well how that sometimes plays out be it 1984 or any other
year.  And, that last cut, if any, is the deepest cut of all
and could send some to a new journey in a dark dark
place when the lights slowly fade to black. AND, WHO 

will be there to pick up the pieces of the broken heart
and a damaged spirit???

BOXING CANADA 1990 to 1999

BOXING'S SUCCESS JOURNEY -
 for Canadian Boxers: by Brian Zelley
 The link: BOXING CANADA 1990 to 1999

One of the threads on the tapestry of Canadian amateur boxing
 in the nineties was thevarious teams holding the medals from
 one of the many international tournaments, and the
nineties journey would include the individual tournaments
 from the late 1989 National championships for 1990, and
the box-off action, past the Goodwill Games and the
Commonwealth Games of 1990 to the process of
building a team for the 2000 Olympic Games.

Between those two points of action and success there are
hundreds of stories along the journey of each boxing club,
each event, eah team  and each player in the game.

*  Every decade has a story, and every name on the page
 has a story,  and for many names on the page, they have 
some common clubs, events or stories.  To begin the story
of the nineties, we must also  go back to 1969 when Boxing 
Canada called by the name of Canadian Amateur Boxing Association
began and the road to glory and success was built by 
one boxer, coach and official at a time.

Back to the early days of the post 1968 eras takes us
to 1970 with the faces  on the wall of the many that 
were a part of the change from the old to the new.

BacK to the Nineties for the story:
There are a 1,000 different stories of Canadian
amateur boxing in the Nineties.  Each thread on
the tapestry tell a different part of the story
and like the stars in the sky at night
each one shines but they all have a
different glow.  And, when we  see that 
shooting star that is just another 
lost warrior saying goodbye.

The Champions of 1990
* Domenic Filane Figlioment, Graham McIntosh,
Michael Strange, Billy Irwin, Jim Worrall, 
Chris and Greg Johnson, Raymond Downey,
Pat Jordan and Vernon Linklater.

Some of the other names of those engaged in
the Nationals or the box-off competition were:
Marc Leduc, Ron Paskie, Curtis Hatch, 
Randall Thompson, Lyndon Linklater,
Gary Wood

1990 Commonwealth Games:
* the Canadian medal winners:
Domenic Filane Figliomeni, Vernon Linklater
Geronimo Bie, Greg Johnson, Ray Downey,
Dale Brown, Patrick Jordan and Chris Johnson.

The other Canadians on the 1990 team were:
Graham McIntosh, Billy Irwin, Michael Strange
and Jim Worrall.

1991: Another step in the Journey

For 1991, there would be those 
returning champs from 1990 but
also some faces from the past 
such as Steve Beaupre and others
Marc Leduc and Tom Glesby.

The main tournament for some of 
the members would be the 1991
Pan Am Games with medal winners:

Billy Irwin, Greg Johnson,
Chris Johnson, Dale Brown,
and Tom Glesby 



1991 Canadian Winter Games action:
There was also some interesting amateur
boxing on the National front with the
"Canada Winter Games" and some were:
Steve Lowry, Jason Towns, Jason Adair, 
Ward Fleming, Henry Valdez, Bryan Mackie,
Billy Joe Bjornson, Stephen Gallinger, 
Sylvain Leblanc, Gale Shannon, 
Hank Doherty and Gerard Penney

Laverne Roach - A Fallen Boxer

   LAVERNE ROACH, tragic boxing: by brian ze;;eu                                                               

Laverne Roach - Boxer 

Roach is a former National Golden Gloves champion who turned

pro in 1945.

Canada in 2013 Ken Goff Memorial Boxing Classic

CANADIAN AMATEUR BOXING 2013 Action: by Brian Zelley
Canada to face new opponent in Ken Goff Memorial Boxing Classic

Team Canada Boxers to face Puerto Rico:

File photo:








Expecting to see action to-date on May 24th.
* Kenny Lally, Michael Montgomery, Alex Rynn, 
Arthur Blyarslanov, Brody Blair and Custio Clayton.
Likely, another Cnadian boxer will be added to the
roster to compete.

Canadian amateur boxing

CANADIAN BOXING EVENTS IN ONTARIO:

MMA Crossfire – Canadian amateur boxing wrapup – April 9th | canada.com

THE BUILDERS OF AMATEUR BOXING

THE BUILDERS: 

 

Introduction by: Brian Zelley

* Over the last couple of years, much efforet has been utilized to

 outline the stories of the amateur boxers of Canada from international

gold, silver and bronze medal winners or titles in various

International tournaments from Golden Gloves and Diamond Belts

to various shows in International activity.  But behind and leading 

each  boxer there are countless coaches and officials that made it

 possible and  the boxing media that told the story. 

The British Columbia Amater Boxing Hall of Fame

Starting in 2010 folks in British Columbia have already
recognized some of the builders by selection in that
category and those picked.

                                           Charles John and George Shiels
                                                   Campbell River Eagles

in 2010 they were Dave Brown, Elo Ius, Fred Fuller, 
Pat O'Reilly and Rick Brough.  But even some of
those selected as boxers have been standout builders such as 
Harold Mann and Frank Scott.  Others would
follow in 2011 and 2012 such as Bert Lowes, Charles John,
George Armson, George Shiels, John O'Shea, Lennie Walters,
Roger Adolph and Tommy Paonessa.

For 2013 there have been many nominated and are now
 standing in line:  Dick St. Louis, Ed Williams, George Nepper,
Boyd Bayne, Jimmy Gallagher, Jim Howie,  Ralph Galloway,
Ron Whalley,  Vic Murdoch and Wally Doern.

Ontario Amateur Boxing Hall of Fame - 2012

http://bwzontarioboxing.blogspot.ca/

Volunteers for the Ontario amateur boxing community have

also started to recognize the builders of boxing with the

Ontario amateur Boxing Hall of Fame and they also picked

a few builders in the first list of 18 inductees:
Dennis Bradley, George Fraser, Jerome McComb and Joe Sandulo.
But boxers such as Billy Irwin and Chris Johnson are now
involved in coaching"

             former boxing great and now coach Billy Irwin and boxers

Canadian Amateur Boxing Wall of Fame

http://cabhof.blogspot.ca/

Bob Edgett, an icon of New Brunswick Boxing

A cross-section of builders or boxer/builders:
* A sample of the selected 55 for January 1, 2013 are:
Alison Arsenault, Bill Arsenault, Billy Irwin, Bob Edgett,
Bryan Gibson, Chris Johnson, Dave Hilton sr., Ed Blanchard,
Frank Scott, Gaby Mancini, Ginnie Brown, Harold Mann, 
Jerry Shears, Joe Sandulo, Kai Yip, Marg O'Reilly, Pat O'Reilly,
Roger Adolph, Rosemary Page, Taylor Gordon and Wayne Gordon.

  Frankie Scott with team mates and coach Harry Twist