BOXING in BRITISH COLUMBIA (1970 to 1979): By Brian Zelley
Amateur boxing in British Columbia was an interesting decade of highs and lows.
On Vancouver Island the decade began with very little activity, but slowly new clubs
began to spring forward and by the end of the Seventies there were clubs from Campbell River
to Greater Victoria. Along the way there were many interesting and active club shows and tournaments
including a BC Junior Selects vs a British Schoolboys International tournament that took place in Victoria
and Vancouver. One of the 1976 BC boxers in action in Victoria was a young DALE WALTERS
who would go on to earn a bronze medal in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Another interesting
tournament that began in 1978 in Nanaimo was the "Bathtub Capital, Pacific Northwest
Golden Gloves tournament which saw some top quality boxers from around the Pacific Northwest.
Some names include Brett and Todd Summers, Kevin Howard, Chuck Robinson, Gordie Lawson,
AlexAngelomatis, and Nanaimo's own Don Preston.The senior division Golden Boy was
SHANE ANDERSON of Fort Nelson.
On a NATIONAL level, New Westminster, BC would be the site of the
1970 Senior National Boxing Championships with BC winning a number of titles
including Neil Austin, Joe Cooke, Frank Scott, Freddy Fuller, Darryl Olson and Jack Meda.
During the Seventies, there would be other BC boxers that would win Canadian senior titles
such as: Chris Ius, Leslie Hamilton, Dave Anderson, Jack Snaith, Sid McKnight, and Derrick Hoyt.
Boxers from BC at random include such names as:
Cliff Ballendine, Barry Blatter, Tony Francis, David Ius,
Gordie Lawson, Jamie Ollenberger, Paul Panke, Jim Stevenson,
Bill Watson, Steve Tohill, Ed Williams and Dan Wright.
Some of the coaches and officials:
Lou Bujdoso, Terry Cooke, Howard Curling, Fred Fuller Sr.,
Jim Howie, Mel Ius, Paul Lemay, Cliff McNabb, Bram Melis,
Jack Mellor, Vic Murdoch, Bob Perry, Joe Preston, Ray Silver,
Stan F. Smith, Bill Walker, Jeff Yule and Brian Zelley
BC AMATEUR BOXING NEWS - Winter 1984/1985
Page 8 - listing of 120 names Ring Officials (Past & Present)
A - B
Jim Allen, George Anderson, George Armson, Steve Barnes,
Paul Bartlet, Bill Bascoe, Rudy Bianco, Tom Blair, Dave Boyd,
Bernie Brisch, Rick Brough, Dave Brown,
