By Adam Brazeau
CORNWALL, Ontario – The action was heavy in the ring at the Canadian Golden Gloves tournament, but the real knockout performance came from the facility itself.
“We will be hosting the Golden Gloves in Cornwall next year,” said Boxing Canada president Pat Fiacco.
With its feet now firmly planted at the city’s Nav Centre, Canada’s boxing history – and Cornwall’s alike – is able to throw its weight around the global boxing scene.
In its inaugural year, the Golden Gloves tournament left a sweet ringing in the ears of boxers all over the country and beyond. They came to slug it out from across the provinces. Some American boxers participated as well and in 2014 the boxing ring will be opened up internationally.
Fiacco is striving for the annual tournament to become a place for boxers with various skill levels to find experience and exposure.
Over 100 fighters threw down in two different boxing rings underneath an enormous 85 ft. tent.
Erik Bazinyan (18), a boxer in the 81 kilo senior division – out of Montreal, won both of his bouts.
“It’s feels very good,” said Bazinyan. “It’s my last competition before going professional.”
Six-time national boxing champion Sebastien Gauthier was there as a coach and a spectator.
“I saw good potential,” said Gauthier. “This is what Canada needs.”
Boxing Canada high performance director Daniel Trepanier saw the beginning of a new tradition in national boxing at the tournament.
“There’s a lot of talent in Canada right now,” he said. “It’s going to be a huge success in years to come.”
With 200 boxers registering and 75 not in attendance, spirits were still high. Fiacco felt a fight for Canadian boxers, both novice, amateur and experienced had been won.
“This is an ideal facility,” said Fiacco. “This is the first for us in Canada to have such a large tent and outdoor event.
