A return to the ring
Antigonish boxer Matt Fraser thrilled to be training again after lengthy layoff
Matt Fraser was chomping at the bit.
After nearly a year away from boxing, the 19-year-old from Antigonish recently returned to the ring for training at the Albion Boxing Club in Trenton.
“Every day I thought about it; getting in the ring sparring, especially going to events, fighting and stuff like that. I missed it big-time for sure,” says Fraser, an amateur boxer who has enjoyed success in the sport since first stepping inside the ring in 2016.
The COVID-19 pandemic shut down the Albion club last spring. During the last year, Fraser worked for a local construction company while continuing to train at home. He returned to the Pictou County gym in the new year and has been training and sparring ever since.
“I was super-excited to get back at it,” he says.
Understandably, Fraser says he had to shake off some rust. However, he’s beginning to find his groove again. He is already looking ahead and would welcome the opportunity to sign with a professional promotion in Canada.
“It was always a dream of mine — fighting pro,” he said. “Since I’m older now I want to try out the no headgear, more rounds in the fights, so I’m thinking of trying that out ... that’s something I’d like to do even this year, as soon as possible.”
Fraser has come a long way in a relatively short time and has an impressive fighting résumé to prove it.
In addition to winning multiple medals at tournaments around the world, including silver in Ireland, he nabbed national junior titles (49kg) in 2017 and 2018 to earn a spot on the Canadian team that competed in Colorado Springs and Eger, Hungary, at the Continental youth championships.
He also fought at the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alta., narrowly missing out on a bronze medal while fighting above his weight class in the 56kg division. In December 2019, he attended Olympic qualifiers in Montreal, losing his lone bout at the event while again lacing up the gloves in a heavier weight class.
Fraser says the Albion club has been instrumental in his development as a boxer. He has trained and competed alongside other skilled fighters from the club and has learned the sweet science from knowledgeable coaches such as Al Archibald, Walter Linthorne, Erin MacGregor and Jim Worthen.
“The Albion’s everything to me; they got me started with pretty much everything. My coaches are great ... it’s just a great atmosphere there.”
Linthorne says Fraser is a talented fighter and called him one of the best boxers to come out of the club in the past five years.
“He’s a really tough kid,” said Linthorne, adding he feels Fraser has the ability to one day achieve his goal of boxing professionally. “He does if he puts his mind to it.”
Fraser, who regularly travels to Trenton three times a week for training, says boxing is in his blood and can’t imagine his life without it.
“Boxing will be part of my life my entire life,” he said. “I’ll be involved with it one way or another. Once you get into it, it’s hard to shake; you fall in love with it.”