Morning Star Staff
A crowd of 500 enjoyed a 14-bout amateur card put on by the CounterPunch Boxing Club Saturday night at the Vernon Recreation Centre auditorium.
Tony Stamboulieh of CounterPunch said 10 clubs participated with boxers from Kamloops, Peachland, Prince George, Victoria, Salmon Arm, Fernie, Lillooet, Revelstoke and Boston Bar joining Vernon fighters.
“There were 14 bouts of the ‘sweet science’, including boxers from 12 years of age all the way to super heavyweights at the senior level,” said Stamboulieh.
Included in the program were two female bouts, one youth junior C fight and one senior tilt.
It was a great night of boxing that featured Thomas Speirs of Spruce Capital Warriors in Prince George, a 2012 senior silver light heavyweight silver medallist, who fought an exhibition bout with Vernon’s CounterPunch Emerald Gloves champion Kyle Ayotte.
Another excellent exhibition was a welterweight bout between Western Canadian champion Niko Ipolito and Counterpunch’s Derrick Larson, a Golden Gloves champion and Golden Boy.
Tyson Veitch of the CounterPunch Boxing Club put on a masterful display of skill, timing and power when he defeated Lincoln Pilcik of Prince George in a light heavyweight bout.
“The CounterPunch Boxing Club extends thanks and appreciation to the Vernon Boxing Club for helping to set up the ring as well as Mickey Sims, president of Boxing BC, who is from Salmon Arm, for his assistance,” said Stamboulieh. “Thanks also to Revelstoke Boxing Club and Sam Lerose for transporting the ring to Vernon for this event.”
CounterPunch – which is based at Breakaway Fitness behind Lordco Auto Parts by Beairsto Elementary – is holding the BC Golden Gloves Tournament, April 21-22 at the rec complex.
Provincial and national champions from all over will compete. Advance tickets go on sale April 2 at Breakaway Fitness.
