Peachland and West Kelowna athletes compete at Provincial Championships

Boxers from Peachland and West Kelowna travelled to Quesnel to compete in the B.C. Bronze Gloves provincial competition last weekend in an event that attracts boxers from all over Western Canada to decide who is the best of the best.

The Peachland Boxing Club had five members step into the ring for their first-ever bout at the two-day event.

Their is something very special and unique about a boxer’s first competition — almost a step into manhood.

Boxing is like no other sport. When you step into that ring, the coach is not going to say: “You look tired, we will take you out and put someone else in.”

No, you’re in there and you’re in there alone. It takes courage, a lot of courage. Stepping into a ring, knowing you might take a licking in front of hundreds of people, travelling hundreds of kilometres, training for hundreds of hours and giving blood, sweat and tears in the process.

Man to man, no one to hide behind, no one taking your place.

Regardless of what you might think of boxing, it takes courage.

All of these young people showed courage, and if they never have another bout again, they will always be a little different than before.

Everyone feels fear, anxiety, doubt, when they climb the stairs, especially for that first time. Every one of them should feel proud.

First in the ring was 13-year-old Blayne Henneberry (0-0-0). At just 80 pounds, Henneberry had to step up in weight for a match against Landon Schwarts of the Two Rivers Boxing Club at the 93-pound weight division — declared an exhibition bout due to the weight difference between the two.

Both boxers gave everything they had for three rounds of pugilistic skills. Henneberry clearly demonstrated how effective he has learned to jab and counter-punch against the heavier opponent. Had this been a match bout, Henneberry would now be the B.C. champion.

Next was 21-year-old Jimmy Hollier (0-0-0). He was not only boxing in the championships, but is also the PBC coach. So not only does Hollier have the pressure of training and getting the team to Quesnel, preparing for each bout, and working the corner, he shows his courage and leadership by also stepping into the ring himself.

Hollier’s opponent, at 141 pounds, was Dan Mathews of Williams Lake.

There are two types of boxing styles — the boxer (like Muhammad Ali) and the brawler (such as Joe Frazier).

Hollier is definitely a boxer, a talented counter-puncher who uses an opponent’s moves against themselves. When Mathews threw a hard punch, Hollier would lean back, slip and counter with a flurry of fast, precise punches.

The bout went the distance and Hollier won by a unanimous decision.

Fellow debutant, 17-year-old Jackson Jones (0-0-0), stepped into the ring against Lincoln Pomeray of the Five Star Boxing Academy at 176 pounds.

Jones only knows one direction — forward. Determined against the more experienced opponent, Jones still took him the full three rounds before Pomeray was awarded the bout by a split decision.

Next from the Peachland Boxing Club was 21-year-old Avery Strickuk (0-0-0), competing in the 152-pound division against Two Rivers Boxing club member Kelly Gerk (2-0-0).

Once again, the PBC were drawn against a more experienced boxer, and Strickuk did an excellent job of slipping and counterpunching against his opponent before the referee awarded the match to Gerk.

Andre Deners (0-0-0), age 20, took on Nick Dragovitch (3-0-0) from the Five Star Boxing Academy in the 147-pound division.

This match was a war that took Fight of the Night honours and had the crowd on its feet, as Deners went toe-to-toe with the more experienced Dragovitch.

Deners is a very powerful boxer who throws punches from every angle. Hooks, uppercuts, body, head, he throws a punch that could knock a wall down.

The decision of the fight went into the last 10 seconds, with Deners knocking out his opponent’s mouthpiece in the last round. After a long deliberation by the judges and referee, Dragovitch was awarded the bout by a split one-point decision. Neither boxer left anything in the ring, with both giving everything they had.

One other member of the Peachland Boxing Club was there. Volunteer manager and second corner assistant Alex Lang, a 22-year-old from West Kelowna, drove and managed the boxers during the two-day event. Lang is fast becoming an experienced boxing manager and coach in spite of his young age, and he has an ability to see a boxer’s strengths and weaknesses during sparring.

The Peachland Boxing Club trains from 6 and 8 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday at 4th St Gym in Peachland.

For more information, call 250-767-2133.