It’s been a heck of a coming out party for the boys of Genesis Boxing, as the first year local club has been lights out over the past two tournaments and rewritten the record books for rookie teams where Boxing BC is concerned.
Genesis’ head coach Rick Rae and his team are back home from the BC Emerald Gloves where their stable of fighters won seven of the nine weight divisions they were entered in.
Brandon Busby, 20, went 2-0 in his 81 KG (178 lbs) Novice Division, earning Best Bout of the Tournament honours and being named Emerald Boy for the tournament’s best boxer.
“We cleaned up — it was awesome,” Rae beamed from behind the counter of his Parksville club this week.
In the mix alongside 45 other fighters from 15 clubs from all over B.C. at the Emerald Gloves, held at Mission City Boxing Club in Mission June 24-25, team Genesis picked up where they left off at the Bronze Gloves recently held at Oceanside Place.
Also winning their respective divisions were Genesis’ Sean Rae, 16 (66kg division) and Marco Segui, 14, (55kg Novice), both of whom took the title via 2nd round TKOs; Cody Martel, 21, won his 75kg division with a 1st round TKO, and Thomas Flegal (91kg), Tyson Volker, 12, (43 kg Novice), and Ben Curret, 13 (39 kg Novice) all won theirs on points.
“Some of the old-timers were telling me after they’ve never had a club accomplish what we have in our first year — that there has never been a first year club with that many entries, and there never been a first year club with that many wins in Boxing BC history.”
In their two events entered this year, Genesis’ boxers have won 22 of the 27 divisions entered.
“It’s all these guys, man,” Rick said modestly.
“They’ve done very well. They’ve surpassed every expectation, that’s for sure,” Boxing BC head administrator Alex Nelson Llarena, 32, said from his office in Richmond.
“I’ve been involved in the sport since I was 13 years old, and this is the first time I’ve seen a new club have this kind of presence — not just being successful, but in sheer numbers (entered). It’s unheard of.”
“The other thing I kept hearing was people commenting on the conditioning of our boxers, which is exceptional,” added Rae. “I mean let’s face it, without conditioning you can’t continue to think, to counterpunch — to apply what you’ve learned.”
Rae also was quick to give props to Genesis’ assistant coach Chris Matthews who spent two solid weeks working with Brandon leading up to the Emerald Gloves.
Team Genesis will take two to three weeks off at some point this summer to heal, “Then return to training.”
As for Busby, “It was good,” he said of his showing in Mission, and conceded his second fight was his toughest test to date. Quiet and unassuming by nature, Busby prefers to let his hands do the talking when it comes to his boxing.
Leading up to the Bronze Gloves, his stablemates had given him the fight name ‘The Hawk’, but during our interview with him he said he didn’t want to use it.
“I haven’t earned (a fight name) yet.”
From what we’ve seen and heard, Buzz-saw definitely describes him.
“This kid is all about the sweet science,” says Rae. “He’s the most technical boxer I’ve ever seen, and his counter punching techniques are insane. For a boxer now one year and two months into it, Brandon has done unbelievable, and I’m not the only one that sees that.”
Busby has, in fact, had his stubble tested.
“And remember he’s been sparring with (Genesis’ heavyweight) Kalin Langerfeld from day one. He’s taken big punches on the chin since he walked in the door,” says his trainer.
“Just take it one fight at a time,” Busby said when asked what his long-range goals are.
Fighting in the 81 KG Novice Division, Busby opened the Emerald Gloves Friday night with a unanimous decision (6-1) over a fighter with five more fights under his belt. He turned in a terrific performance in Saturday night’s main event against Fred Jones with another unanimous decision that earned him Best Bout honours — and the biggest prop of all, the title of Emerald Boy as the tournament’s best boxer.
“Brandon is doing very well,” said Nelson, adding, “he’s showing a lot of skill, especially for a young man who hasn’t been fighting long.”
For his right handed light heavyweights efforts, Busby will have his name added to the storied old BC Emerald Boy trophy. He gets to keep it for a while, along with a smaller keepsake trophy, and the big one goes back to the trophy case at Boxing BC head office in Richmond.
The youngest of five with two brothers and two sisters and a Ballenas Secondary School grad, he said he has never been a particularly big fight fan and doesn’t watch a lot of it on TV.
“Just staying calm I think — not letting yourself get worked up,” said Busby, 6’1”, when asked for some of the keys to his early success.
Busby, who came up through Oceanside Minor Hockey and joined Genesis about a year ago, is right at home in the environment.
“I always wanted to try it,” he shrugged easily when asked what prompted him to try his hand at pugilism.
“As a result of his performance at the Emerald Gloves I will be putting his name forward to be invited to the Boxing BC development team camps,” Nelson revealed.
The first camp is slated for July in Kelowna, and the big one, the second one, will be held in August in Prince George. That camp will include members of the Canadian national team.
Busby and three of his teammates — Sean Rae, Preston Murphy and Thomas Flegal — have been invited to apply to train with the national team coaches at the annual high performance five day summer camp in Montreal.
UP NEXT
Genesis is the only boxing club in B.C. still open, and Rae said he plans on putting on a club show sometime in September (stay tuned).
