Women boxers rock

Page 29

Aboriginal boxers from across western Canada exchanged blows at a huge fight card held in northern Alberta last month.

Professionally ranked and amateur boxers from Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan were at the "On the Warpath" fight-night at the High Prairie Sports Palace on Aug. 28.

A crowd of more than 700 watched as a mainly Native line-up of boxers from featherweight to super heavyweight class divisions faced each other and non-Native competitors in the squared circle.

The under-card featured up and coming amateur boxers Kevin Beaver from Slave Lake, Jessie Laframbois from the Regina Flying Eagles, George Bull and Rocky Whitford from Lac La Biche, and "Whispering" Micheal Sound from Edmonton.

In all, the Aboriginal boxers won most of the three round amateur tilts.

Brad Hortie, Warpath organizer and boxing coach of Edmonton's Hortie's Gym, said it wasn't intended to be a Native versus non-Native event, but it just kind of turned out that way, as the majority of boxers selected were Native.

"We looked for the best boxers that were out there and half or more than half are Aboriginal," Hortie said.

Inlcuded in the Native showing was Crystal "Brave Heart" Arcand, a very well groomed product from Hortie's gym. She faced fellow club member Lisa Sharkey.

The calibre of fighting from the two women was equal to many of the fights seen in the Palace that night.

Hortie said both girls have had a lot of training and can hold their own in a mainly male sport.

Arcand won the three round punch-up.

On the pro card, it was Regina's own Don Laliberte, the Indigenous heavyweight champ taking on Edmonton's Ritchie "K.O." Jero.

Laliberte entered the ring in full Indian headdress regalia. He looked strong as he faced Edmonton's Ritchie "K.O" Jero. The "K.O." nickname is well earned as he has won each of his three professional bouts by knockout.

With two "big boys" roped into the ring, the action was fast and hard. Laliberte placed several good shots into Jero in the opening rounds, but the Edmonton boxer fought back and eventually dazed Laliberte and sent him to the floor with a blow to the jaw. The fourth round knock down resulted in a standing eight count being given to Laliberte.

The scare seemed to do Laliberte. good as he came back with a vengeance, dropping the Edmonton boxer to the canvas late in the fifth round with an uppercut that seemed to come out of nowhere. The punch, however, was knock down strength, not knockout. It also resulted in a standing eight count to Jero.

The see-saw battle ended in favor of Laliberte. The win boosted his record to six wins four losses and one tie. The loss for Jero was the first scar on his previously perfect three wins and no losses record.

In the other main event bout, Donovan Lee Horse from Edmonton took on the "Iraqi Assassin," Hydar Al Ghalebi, also from Edmonton.

Horse forced Ghalebi into submission after only three rounds of the scheduled six round affair. After complaining he was elbowed in the back of the head, Ghalebi took several more punches before asking the referee to call off the fight. None of the ring-side judges said they saw the alleged elbow infraction. The victory pushed Horse's professional record to three wins, and two losses.

Organizers were impressed with the crowds for the event and plan to hold similar matches in the upcoming months.