Senior ladies slo-pitch
Jason Kelly is hoping his first professional boxing knockout will grab the attention of Money.
The Brockville-born Kelly is hoping for his second straight win on Sept. 30 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre when he has a rematch with Ennismore native Jay Corcoran, the man he beat to get his first-ever professional boxing victory back in May.
Cody Crowley, who is from Peterborough and is defending his Canadian Professional Boxing Council international superwelterweight title on Sept. 30 in his hometown, served as a sparring partner for Floyd “Money” Mayweather in the recently retired boxer’s bouts with Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor.
Last month Crowley posted a video on his Facebook Page where Mayweather promotes the Peterborough bout and says, “I’ll be there.”
Answering if the man who just made more than $300 million in his last fight is really going to be there or was it just some nice promotion by boxing’s most popular fighter, Kelly said as far as he knows the Money man will be at the Memorial Centre that night to see him fight.
“I messaged Cody myself and I asked if Mayweather is going to be there and he said, ‘What did the video say?,’” said Kelly. “That would be huge for the sport and boxing in Canada. Not just Ontario, Jay Corcoran, right, makes his pro debut against Jason Kelly of Napanee, Ont. during Homecoming: The Return of Cody Crowley on May 13 at the Memorial Centre. Corcoran, a veteran of 70 amateurs bouts, turned pro at age 45 and lost a majority decision to Napanee's Jason Kelly by scores of 38-38, 39-37, 39-37. It was the first win in four bouts for Napanee's Kelly. The two will have a rematch Sept. 30 at the Memorial Centre. but Canada alone.”
It would be quite the memorable occasion for Kelly since he considers Mayweather to be his all-time favourite boxer, along with fellow Canadian Arturo Gatti. He’s even tried to mimic his fighting style to match the aggressiveness of Gatti and the defence of Mayweather.
The Sept. 30 bout will be Kelly’s fifth of his professional boxing career. If Mayweather does show up to the Peterborough fight then Kelly will have had an impressive audience to have come watch him in the ring in his short pro career as “Sugar” Shane Mosley, a four-time world boxing champion, watched the Brockville native compete in Tennessee in December.
“If Mayweather is there it’s pretty nice in your career that you get to say I got to fight in front of two of the best,” Kelly said.
Right now, though, Kelly is thinking more about the task at hand instead of who will be in the audience.
The 33-year-old is up against Corcoran, a 45-year-old Toronto police officer Kelly beat in fourround majority decision just three months ago in what was Corcoran’s pro debut after 70 amateur bouts.
Kelly said he had Corcoran on the ropes in the third round and there was an opportunity to knock him out in their last fight, but his conditioning wasn’t good enough to put him away so he played it smart and backed off to make sure he could last if it went the distance.
Last time, though, Kelly had just three weeks of training with his coach Carl Jobson before going up against his opponent. This time around he’s had a few months to get ready and has put an emphasis on conditioning in hopes of knocking him out in the middle rounds.
This will be Kelly’s last fight at 160 pounds and the final time he’ll fight just four rounds. From here on out he plans to drop his weight to 147 pounds.
It’s a busy time for Kelly these days as he’s opening Diamond MMA and Boxing, located at 130 North Augusta Rd. in Brockville, with a grand opening in January. Classes are for ages five and up. Kelly also owns a gym under the same name in Napanee.
Tickets for the Sept. 30 fight can be purchased online at www. memorialcentre.ca.
NOTE: If Jason Kelly can generate enough interest for the fight he plans on renting buses to take people from Brockville to Peterborough. Anyone interested in being a part of that can contact him at 613-583-2596 or by email at diamondmmaboxing@gmail. com. The following are results from Peterborough Senior Ladies Slo-pItch League games on Wednesday.
Peter Ward 15:
Marina Wheeler 4 for 4 (3 singles, 1 double), Heather Wooldridge 4 for 4 (3 singles, 1 double), Linda Kapron 2 for 3 (1 single, 1 double).
Cathy MacDonald 3 for 3 (3 singles), Rita Galley 3 for 3 (2 singles, 1 triple), Beth Germond 2 for 2 (1 single, 1 double).
Wendy Archibald 3 for 4 (2 singles, 1 double), Donna Bested 2 for 3 (2 singles), Louise Gilbertson 3 for 3 (3 singles).
Nancy Sharpe 2 for 3 (2 singles), Darlene Charlton 2 for 3 (2 singles), Eva McFaul 2 for 3 (1 single, 1 double).
Linda Murney 3 for 3 (2 singles 1 triple), Alva Wakeford 3 for 3 (3 singles), Faye Andrews 2 for 3 (1 single, 1 double). Crossman
Marlene Fitzgerald 3 for 3 (3 singles), Janet Burgie 3 for 3 (3 singles), Wilma Doucet-Rouse 2 for 3 (2 singles), Joanne Ellis 2 for 3 (2 singles).
Remax 11: Lambasters 9: Emporium Hair Studio 4: Vinnies 6: Excavating 5: