The Future of Amateur Boxing in BC

[Zelley.]

[b]DIVIDED LOYALTIES AND GROUPS in BC BOXING[/b]

Since January, amateur boxing in British Columbia has had some success at the Senior Nationals
and the Junior and Youth Nationals. The junior and youth nationals recently held featured a couple
of Kelowna based boxers. Also, there was a recent boxing card in Vernon as a prelude to the
2012 BC GOLDEN GLOVES that will be held in Vernon in April.

The two Kelowna area based clubs included the Kelowna Boxing Club and the Thistletown Boxing Club
which have done well for a number of years. Recently, Canadian boxing champion KEN LALLY and
Boxing Canada former Team-B member JAG SEEHRA from Prince George. were in Kelowna to host a boxing clinic that had
numerous clubs participating. Both clubs and the Prince George boxers are registered members of BOXING BC and
BOXING CANADA which is the official organization to regulate amateur boxing.

Back in the late Seventies and early Eighties, there were other groups such as those promoting tough guy or "sol you think you are :ohmygod: :skyisfalling:
tough" bouts which did not get any sanction from regulating bodies for amateur boxing. Today, we have seen the rise of other
organizations that have split from regulation by Boxing BC or Boxing Ontario to stage their own brand of boxing. It is difficult
to determine if this alternative brand will last. The alternative group is largely based in Langley but is spreading in parts of British Columbia including West Kelowna and Kitimat. One region that was active in the "tough guy" contests in the Seventies and Eighties from Nanaimo and Victoria have yet to join alternative groups in the current time period. One of the positives
is an old club that had been inactive has recentled been revived in Sooke, BC. :sunshine: