Provincial Boxing Championship a huge success

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More than 1,300 fans crowded into the gym at Broxton Park Elementary School

in Spruce Grove during the three days of the Alberta Provincial Boxing Championships. Organizer Jim Titley called the weekend of 65 amateur fights a "huge success," and said the skill levels displayed were "at a high level."

Boxers moved from novice categories into open competition which meant that competitors were still adjusting to the new levels.

"The fans bring a great deal of excitement to the ring, and that can bring a lot out of the boys," Titley said.

That excitement caused some to get too excited, resulting in disqualifications, including a controversial decision in the Senior Open 67 kg final on Sunday. Both "Terrible" Tom Tansen, of Edmonton's Cougar Club, and Mike Kruse, of Calgary Olympic were disqualified and only bronze medals were awarded.

But that was the only dark spot in the afternoon. The final bout featured Willard Lewis and Conrad Augustin (see separate story).

The Senior Novice 81 KG final was exceptional, if clearly a battle between novices. Ashley Zwolak, of High Level, and Jason Williams, of the Badlands Boxing club in Patricia exchanged a flurry of blows in all three rounds. Zwolak won each round and had built up a comfortable margin of decision by the end of the fight.

Colin Neugebauer, of Medicine Hat, was the best Junior C boxer in the competition and his class showed in the 63.5 KG final. He demolished Kevin Courtorielle of Fort Chipewyan, scoring 45 points in three rounds. Neugebauer, 15, has only been fighting for two years. His record was eight wins and seven losses going into the final.

Travis Lackey of Bowmont Club in Calgary was given the decision in the Junior B Novice 46 KG final over Cameron CutArm of the Indians Nations club. The scorers mystified the crowd with the 5-2 verdict. CutArm had the edge throughout the fight, but his coach, Jim Gilio, accepted the defeat philosophically.

"That's the way it goes in boxing sometimes," he said. "We're sportsmen. We accept the decision. It's a learning experience for Cameron. The decision is part of boxing."

Galio went on to talk about CutArm's future. He says the young fighter was looking forward to the 1994 Canadian junior championships. "Cameron's a classy young man with a lot of potential."

Karmen Bull, who won the Junior A Novice 46 Kg final in decisive style, has a great future in boxing as well, according to Gilio. He is also a member of Jim Gilio's Indian Nations Boxing Club.

"The Indian Nations team has in the past seven years turned out 31 provincial and national champions and sevral natinal medalists. We are a native program who were featured on the Fifth Estate (a CBC TV news program)," said Gilio.

The Indian Nations club has been invited to compete this June in Whitehorse by the Yukon goverment, then will compete at the Indigenous Games in Prince Albert, Sask. in July. The club won gold in the first Indigenous Games in Edmonton.

In the Junior C Notice 763.5 KG, final, Mike McDermott of Calgary Olympic surprised Lorne DigOut of Lethbridge, scoring 30 points en route to the decision. DigOut got behind early and was unable to come back against the taller McDermott.

In a scappy bout, the Seniior Novice 71 Kg gold went to Dale Tallman of Lethbridge Friendship Club. Tallman scored only 10 times in three three-minute rounds, but managed to hold his opponent, Dana Paulson of the South Side Legion, to even less.

Curtis Lizotte fell victim to the best boxer of the compretition, Rob Slawson of the Lethbridge Club. Slawson pounded 50 scoring punches at Lizotte in the three rounds. The fight went the duration and was instrumental in Slawson winning the overall boxer honors.

In other Sunday finals, Curtis Hatch of Lethbridge scored consistently on Marty Melenka of Edmonton's Cugar Club, who looked tired, in winning the Senior Open 75 Kg gold. and South Side Legion's Rick Jamerson won gold in the Senior Open 75 gold and the best Senior boxer hnors when he beat clubmate Jason Smith in an even bout.

Shawn Bogart of the Cougar Club whipped local hopeful Jeremy Taileur in the Senior Open 63.5 Kg final and big Greg Bruno of the Calgary Native Boys clubs took the senior Novice 91Kg gold on a walk over due to a double disqualification on Saturday night.