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.

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.

BC's CANADIAN CHAMPIONS & CONTENDERS

THE HERE & NOW and CANADIAN FLASHBACKS: By Brian W. Zelley

THE 2010 SENIOR NATIONALS

For the 2010 Senior Nationals, the BOXING BC came up short with no Canadian Champions. One 2009 senior champion.,
KENNY LALLY from Prince George dropped a decision to Nova Scotia's JOEY LAVIOLETTE, and 2009 Cadet champion
STEFAN MELIDEO of Nanaimo stepped up to see action in open senior competition and lost. Then there was Prince George boxer MARCUS HUME who dropped a controversial decision. Other BC boxers also lost in early competition.

The various BC boxing clubs have received a wake-up call that they all need to step-up to meet future challenges
and reawaken the achievements of past decades when BC boxers did well such as the Seventies with such champions as
Chris Ius, Darryl Olsen, Derrick Hoyt, Frank Scott. Freddy Fuller, Jack Meda, Jack Snaith, Joe Cooke, and Les Hamilton.

In the Eighties we had the likes of Dale Walters, Wayne Welsh, Joe Pendry, and Manny Sobral
then came the likes of Jason Heit and Donny Orr.

Donny Orr was the Victoria warrior that despite injuries came back in 2000 to defeat the Canadian champion
twice in box-off competition to earn a spot on the 2000 Canadian Olympic Boxing Team, then followed-up with
the Canadian title in 2001.

Looking at those champions such as Fuller, Scott and Olsen, they were products of the Sixties,
and earned their accomplishments through a lengthy process with many actual bouts from numerous
club shows and tournaments including Golden Gloves activity in places like Vancouver, Portland, Seattle
and Tacoma. For instance between all of the heavy tournaments in 1968, they took time to travel with others
to engage in high level club shows such as an All-Star club show in Seattle which included some top level USA
competition.

Looking back from 1966 to 1984, in the lighter weight classes, how could we forget about the many boxers, fighters and warriors with the two brightest shining stars being FRANKIE SCOTT and DALE WALTERS.