It’s bout time for Niagara fighter ‘‘
Three-time Canadian champion boxing at home for first time in a year
A change of scenery, but not of focus.
Since the beginning of August, Lucas Bahdi has been living in Montreal and training full-time as a member of the Canadian national boxing team.
He’s been back home since last weekend, but the Niagara Falls native’s attention remains concentrated on boxing.
For the 24-year-old, the past week has been all about preparing for his main event fight at Rumble in the Falls III Saturday night at Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls.
Bahdi, a three-time Canadian champion, will be going toe-to-toe with Niasheem Williams of Rochester, N.Y., in the 61-kilogram feature.
This will be their first meeting in the ring, but the two enter the three-rounder equally experienced. Bahdi has “about 96” fights under his belt; Williams, about 100.
As the hometown hopeful and the Canadian in the cross-border battle, Bahdi will carry the added weight of expectation into the ring with him.
It’s always special whenever he’s boxing in front of a hometown crowd.
“It’s much different than anything else,” he said. “For some reason, I have nerves that I don’t usually get when I fight out of town.”
Are they good nerves or the kind of butterflies that pack an adrenaline-draining punch, the A.N. Myer Secondary School graduate was asked.
“Oh, they’re good, they’re good. They’re more like being anxious.”
That said. Bahdi feels extra pressure to do well at home.
“Definitely, 100 per cent,” he said.
Saturday night’s fight will be his first since June. Bahdi was on an 11-fight winning streak until he was cut with a head butt 20 seconds into his last fight causing the ringside doctor to stop the fight.
“That fight was at a tournament and I would have fought the next day if I would have won that fight,” said Bahdi, who tries to get in at least 15 fights each year.
Physically he’s feeling in top shape after recovering from the cut and mentally “I’m ready to go.”
His last fight in Niagara Falls was a year ago in Rumble in the Falls II.
“This Saturday I get to display my progress to my supporters and fans.”
Training full time in Montreal doesn’t leave Bahdi much time for anything else. He receives a stipend from the national team and is not permitted to work part time.
“You can’t work part-time, there’s no time
“Moving out there, focusing my life on training full time is going to bring me to the next step. Whatever it takes, you got to do it.”
LUCAS BAHDI
Canadian national 61-kilogram boxing champion
Alyssa Montgomery, also of St. Catharines, was the top girl.
It was only the third time in the past 30 years in which the host club swam to double gold in the prestigious event.
Clarington Swim Club from Bowmanville, Ont., finished with 1,025 and won the Walker Cup as top team. Wilmot Aquatic Aces from Baden, Ont., south of Kitchener, and Brock Niagara placed second and third with 783 and 665 points, respectively.
Following are top-eight finishes achieved by Brock Niagara club members:
Girls, 10 and younger: Malaak Boksmati, St. Catharines, 7th, 100 fly; 100 backstroke; Eyrie Forestieri, Fonthill, 7th, 100 back; Sierra Kelly, Niagara-on-the-Lake, 4th, 100 fly; 6th, 100 back; 8th 50 fly; 50 breaststroke; 50 back; Raine West, Niagara Falls, silver, 50 fly, 100 fly; bronze, 100 back, 100 free; 4th, 50 back; 5th, 50 breast, 50 free; 6th, 100 breast; 7th, 100 individual medley; Kelly, Boksmati, West, Forestieri, silver, 100 medley relay; Camryn Friesen, Abby Cabaj, Boksmati, West, silver, 100 free relay.
Boys, 10 and younger: Mahmoud Boksmati, St. Catharines, 5th, 100 fly; 100 breast; 6th, 50 fly; 8th, 50 breast, 50 back; Quinlan Stark, St. Catharines, 6th, 50 breast, 100 free.
Girls, 11-12: Luz Aquilera Ballestros, St. Catharines, bronze, 200 fly; 4th, 100 fly, 200 back, 200 back, 200 IM; 6th, 100 back; 8th, 100 breast; Ella Beaudoin, St. Catharines, bronze, 200 breast; 4th, 200 fly; 5th, 100 breast; 8th, 100 fly, 100 back; Eve Brum, Grimsby, silver, 200 free; bronze, 200 back, 100 back; 4th, 100 free; 8th, 200 IM; Maggie Gauthier, Thorold, 7th, 100 fly; Lily Shennan, Fonthill, 6th, 100 breast; 8th, 200 breast; Sophia St-Pierre, Niagara Falls, silver, 100 back; 7th, 200 back; St-Pierre, Shennan, Aguilera Ballesteros, Brum, silver, 200 medley relay; Aguilera Ballesteros, Kaya Lambrechts, St-Pierre, Brum, silver, free relay.
Boys, 11-12: Camren Courchene-Carter, 8th, 100 fly, 200 IM, 200 breast; Kaden Shaw, Niagara Falls, 7th, 200 fly; Austin Weng, Niagara Falls, 8th, 200 fly; Baxter Lawrence, Courchene-Carter, Shaw, Weng, bronze, 200 medley relay.
Girls, 13-14: Kura Cooper, St. Catharines, 5th, 200 breast; 7th, 200 back, 200 free; 8th, 100 breast; Charley Crane, St. Catharines, 5th, 200 back; 7th, 100 breast; Piper Sarginson, Welland, gold, 100 breast, 200 breast; silver, 200 back, 200 free; bronze, 200 fly, 200 IM; 4th, 100 fly; 7th, 100 back; Olivia Turavani, St. Catharines, 8th, 100 back, 200 IM; Mia Watanabe, Niagara Falls, 8th, 200 fly.
Boys, 13-14: Mahmoud Radwan, St. Catharines, 6th, 200 back; 8th, 200 free, 200 fly.
Girls, 15 and older: Isabella Bonaldo, Niagara Falls, bronze, 200 breast; 7th, 200 IM; Paje Brennan, Niagara Falls, 4th, 200 IM; 5th, 100 breast; 6th, 100 back; 7th, 100 free; 8th, 200 back; Mara Di Persio, Niagara Falls, silver, 100 fly; 4th, 200 free; 5th, 200 back; 7th, 100 breast; Andie Lloyd, St. Catharines, gold, 100 fly, 200 back, 200 free, 200 fly, 100 back, 200 IM, 100 free; silver, 200 breast; bronze, 100 breast; Alyssa Montgomery, St. Catharines, gold, 200 breast; silver, 200 IM; bronze, 100 free; 5th, 100 back; 6th, 100 breast; 7th, 200 free; Lloyd, Brennan, Di Persio, Montgomery, gold, 200 medley relay’ Montgomery, Bonaldo, Brennan, Lloyd, 200 free relay.
Boys, 15 and older: Mark Barca, Welland, silver, 100 fly, 200 back, 100 back; bronze, 200 IM; 6th, 100 free; Aidan Iapicco, St. Catharines, gold, 100 fly, 200 IM, 100 breast, 200 free, 200 breast; silver, 200 fly; bronze, 200 back, 100 back, 100 free; Alex Jakovljevic, Niagara Falls, 7th, 200 fly; Peyton Kipp, Niagara Falls, silver, 100 breast, 200 breast; 4th, 200 IM; 6th, 200 free; 8th, 100 free; Jeremy Tang, St. Catharines, 6th, 200 fly; 7th, 200 back; 8th, 200 IM; Calvin Teminski, Iapicco, Tang, Kipp, silver, 200 medley relay; Kipp, Tang, Jakovljevic, Iapicco, bronze, 200 free relay.
Open women, Walker 400 freestyle: gold, Montgomery; silver, Lloyd; 4th, Di Persio; 6th, Sarginson; 7th, Bonaldo.
Open men, Walker 400 frestyle: gold, Iapicco.