Boxing in B.C. is about to take a big step forward Friday, May 25. On this evening boxing fans will see “Turmoil on 200th,” the biggest boxing show in B.C. in decades.
“The sport has struggled a bit over the last couple of decades or so,” says Dave Allison an organizer of Turmoil on 200th. “However, the momentum around this event has been great.”
The main event will be a Canadian Championship fight between undefeated Shelly” Machine Gun” Barnett of Ontario and Langley school teacher Alisah McPhee, who is the Western Canadian Champion. The McPhee/Barnett title will be for the vacant Canadian Bantamweight Championship.
McPhee has never lost an amateur fight and has only one loss in the pros. The loss was early in her career against Shelly Vincent, who sports a 21-1-0 record and fights at 130 lb.
The Barnett/McPhee fight has crowd pleaser written all over it. An Ontario promotion has already contracted the rematch, says Allison. McPhee’s club mate Sarah Pucek was set to fight in the main event, but due to work obligations had to pull out.
This fight is the main event of a stacked card that not only will feature the best of local pros it has an amateur undercard that is also stacked. This will be the first boxing show at the Langley Events Centre and the first ever pro boxing match in Langley Township.
Julian Kim of Surrey will be on the card, Kim had his pro debut at the Clash @ the Cascades last year and will continue his career with a middleweight fight against Oscar Hernandez, a tough southpaw out of Portland Oregon. The Kim-Hernandez fight will be a four-round middleweight contest.
The much-anticipated pro debut of Aman Aujla of Surrey will be on the menu. Aujla will fight Kevin Roberson, a puncher out of Seattle. The fight is being fought in the heavyweight division, although Aujla’s future will likely be as a Cruiserweight.
The amateur card will feature fighters ready to turn pro and it is a deep group headlined with a heavyweight title fight. B.C. Heavyweight Champion Palvir Atwal will defend his title against Brandon Conetellano of Victoria. Atwal is also planning to enter the paid ranks soon and will likely be a pro by the end of 2018.
Lev Jackson, the WBC Canada Super Featherweight Champion in 2013 will be in action. Jackson is also planning to turn pro after this fight. The amateur undercard will feature five fights on what will be a full night of boxing. A card like this would not have been possible only a few years ago says Allison.
“The development of Combsport BC, an amateur association affiliated with the WBC has made a huge contribution to the local boxing scene,” says Allison. Most of the boxers and officials in the pro game in this province have come out of the Combsport system and this has made May 25 possible.
“The excitement is not just this event,” says Allison, “it is what is to come. We have for the first time in memory a group of talented young boxers up and coming. Pro Boxing is the elite level of boxing and fostering the transition from amateur boxing to pro boxing is what Combsport BC is about.”
All Ringside and Table seating is sold out, and general seating tickets can be purchased through the Langley Events Centre Box office. There will be a bar service, card girls, and concession as well as free parking and great fights. This is a family friendly event. Doors will open at 6:30 and the bell to sound the first fight will sound at 7:30 p.m.
