It’s official: the Williams Lake Boxing Gym and Teofista Boxing is hosting its second consecutive fight night in the lakecity.
Local boxing club members announced the event late last week, scheduled for June 15 at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex, following what was a sellout debut during the summer of 2018 in the lakecity.
Meanwhile, Williams Lake Boxing Gym members made the most of a dreary afternoon in the lakecity Sunday packing the local training facility on Highway 97 South as excitement and preparation ramps up.
Local pro, amateur, and even youth boxers could be seen practicing their punching, working on their fitness and sharing each other’s company as they do each Tuesday and Thursday evening, and Sunday afternoon.
Lakecity pro Stuart McLellan said it’s going to be another night of electrifying action, which will feature Williams Lake’s own Harley ‘Ace’ Mulvahill in the main event after his successful professional debut last year in his hometown.
“I always dreamed of this when I was a kid, so I can’t turn it down now,” Mulvahill said of the chance to fight in Williams Lake again.
READ MORE: Boxers put on a show at packed house in Williams Lake
A fan favourite, Mulvahill received a loud, standing ovation on his way to the ring during last summer’s card, and fired up the crowd in fine fashion for the main event to follow featuring teammate Stuart McLellan.
Stuart will also be in action on the card, along with his brother and fellow pro, Roberto McLellan, who will be making his return to the ring after a few years away from competing in the sport.
“I’m going to make sure I’m in the best shape I can be in,” Roberto said. “No excuses and I’ll be ready.”
Joining the hometown pugilists rounding out the pro side of the card will be Ken ‘Heavy Hands’ Huber of Kamloops.
Prior, a solid night of amateur fights are also in the works as Williams Lake Boxing Gym head coach Gary McLellan said he’s hoping to get as many of his fighters in on the action as he can.
Everyone from Williams Lake’s Joey Helminger, Dana Matthews, Cody Herren and the younger McLellan brothers, Arthur and Duncan, are all slated for action.
Also recently, Williams Lake amateur fighters laced up their gloves to get some action prior to the big, upcoming night in Williams Lake.
Boxers Cody Herren and Duncan McLellan travelled to the Two Rivers Boxing Club in Quesnel for a pair of bouts, while Arthur McLellan took to Calgary to test himself versus a 5-2 fighter.
Herren, competing in his first match — an exhibition bout due to his opponent, Evan Lee’s, weight, was victorious.
“He listened to instruction very well,” Gary said. “The guy was a lot bigger and heavier, so we told Cody to stay on his chest and work from there and he did. Cody gave him a standing eight count in the second round with a good jab, and all-in-all we thought Cody did well for his first time in there.”
Duncan, meanwhile, picked up a technical knockout of his opponent, Mohammed Hussein Wahidullah from the Rebels Boxing Club in Coquitlam.
Gary said Wahidullah charged after Duncan after the opening bell, but Duncan managed to weather the storm.
“It was that guy’s first fight and I had an idea he was coming out like that,” Gary said. “We told Duncan to stay tight for the first rounds and the guy started to slow down and Duncan picked it up after that.”
In round two Duncan landed a solid left hook for a standing eight count, followed by another shortly after, before the referee called the fight.
In Calgary, Arthur lost a tough decision — one he said he felt he won.
“It was a close fight,” Arthur said. “We thought I won but they gave him the decision in three rounds. I felt good and slippery, I blocked a lot of shots and hit a lot of my own, too.”
Three weeks prior to Teofista and the WLBG’s fight night, Stuart, Roberto and Harley are travelling to Mexico for tune up fights.
Stuart said ticket information will be available soon, and noted fight fans won’t want to miss this year’s event, as last year’s card was a near sellout and went above and beyond the local gym’s expectations.
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