Ross Walker will be facing a vastly more experienced opponent, a tough guy who’s always moving forward in the ring and who rarely loses.
In other words, Walker may well face adversity in the boxing ring this week.
“I’ll have a ton of my friends there, so if there’s any adversity, I don’t have to look too far for inspiration…” he said. “It’s my last fight, it’s for the championship, it’s in my hometown; I’ve trained so hard for this that they’ll have to kill me to get me out of there.
“I think any adversity will just be overcome by inspiration.”
The 27-year-old, who sports a perfect 5-0 record as an amateur boxer, will take on George Vourtsis (16-2) of Gibsons for the vacant World Boxing Council B.C. amateur middleweight championship this Saturday (June 4) at Nanaimo’s Malaspina Theatre.
Walker’s last bout was just six weeks ago, but he’s glad to be stepping back in the ring again so soon. In fact, it was now or never, as he’s moving away in two weeks’ time.
“It’s going to be my swan song. It’s perfect timing to get a chance to win that title and then I’m off to a new chapter in my life,” Walker said.
He and his girlfriend will be moving to La Loche, Sask., where he will teach Grade 2 students in the mostly First Nations community of 2,800 people. The site of a recent mass school shooting, the village has the highest per-capita crime rate in the nation, Walker said. He wants to make a difference not only as a teacher, but as a coach, as he has notions of setting up a boxing gym there.
“I think a lot of it will be working with kids that don’t really have anything else, and just trying to keep them out of trouble and keep them busy and try to teach them some life lessons,” he said.
Walker has a frame of reference, as he was a troublemaker and an angry youth before he found Nanaimo’s Tomari Martial Arts club.
“If I didn’t come in here and start training, who knows where I’d be right now? I just kind of want to pay it forward a bit,” he said.
With those sort of goals in front of him, maybe standing in the ring, trading punches with a 16-2 opponent is possible. Maybe winning a championship is possible.
“I’m going to fight like I always do. Go in calm, in great shape and prepared to go the five rounds…” he said. “I would say there is probably more pressure, but also more excitement and more happiness that I’m in there.”
Event almost sold out
Promoter Don Arnott said Monday that the Quest for Glory 12-bout amateur boxing card is on pace to sell out by fight night.
Walker trains with many of the boxers at the Tomari club, including Josh Shepherd and Dan Baxter.
“They’re all super exciting fighters. Some green fighters that are just natural tough kids; we’ve got other guys that are vets,” he said.
“Fighters that fight for the first time, they’re always fun to watch because they get in there and once the bell rings, they realize it’s not that scary and then you can watch them start having fun.”
Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by calling 250-751-3657. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. with the first fight at 5 p.m.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com