Two Greater Victoria boxers have their sights set on nationals and beyond, with hopes of representing Canada on the world stage.

VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Terris Smith and LangfordB次元官网网址檚 Braydon Blazina are both headed to the national amateur boxing championships, set to happen in Brampton, Ont. next month. If successful there, the pair could represent Canada internationally, fighting in qualifiers that could send them to the PANAM Games next year in Chile, and potentially to the next Olympics.

Smith has been knocking at the national teamB次元官网网址檚 door for years, qualifying for the national championships back in 2018.

Fights have been flowing for the featherweight in the past year after a disrupted schedule due to COVID-19, with Smith recently traveling to Portland and Mexico for bouts. Balancing the travel, twice-daily workouts and her day job as an accountant can be a challenge but itB次元官网网址檚 a lifestyle where Smith thrives.

B次元官网网址淲hen I started seven years ago, it was, B次元官网网址極h, yeah, thatB次元官网网址檇 be cool.B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 never really been a realistic thing until now B次元官网网址� here are the actual steps that you need to do. Now itB次元官网网址檚 coming more to life.B次元官网网址�

Smith has beaten the current national champion in three of their past four fights, something that acts as a motivator heading into nationals, she said.

B次元官网网址淪o sheB次元官网网址檚 sitting in a good spot. That high-pressure spot, with high expectations but sheB次元官网网址檚 working hard and sheB次元官网网址檚 doing everything she needs to do. So IB次元官网网址檓 really confident in her ability to pull it off,B次元官网网址� said Jason Heit, who coaches the pair at Island Boxing.

Comparatively, Blazina is a relative newcomer to the ring, starting fighting three years ago just before the onset of COVID-19. A former grit-and-grind hockey player B次元官网网址� who said he never really scrapped until stepping into the ring B次元官网网址� Blazina got into boxing after growing frustrated from being out of sports. Blazina is a super heavyweight, meaning fighters in his weight class are few and far between. Luckily, Blazina has been training with fellow Greater Victoria boxer Brandon Colantonio, who recently won his first professional fight.

B次元官网网址淭hey really understand that theyB次元官网网址檙e not competing against each other, theyB次元官网网址檙e helping develop each other,B次元官网网址� said Heit. B次元官网网址淚f thereB次元官网网址檚 a day where we need hard sparring, theyB次元官网网址檒l spar hard, but guys that size, we donB次元官网网址檛 want to bang every day in the gym. ItB次元官网网址檚 more we want them healthy and we want them in this sport where they can do it for a long time.B次元官网网址�

Last year in the provincial championships, Blazina had a disappointing performance, losing out to the eventual champion in the first round, but he now feels heB次元官网网址檚 in a good position for the nationals.

B次元官网网址淚 thought that I would feel more pressure,B次元官网网址� Blazina said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e got fantastic trainers whoB次元官网网址檙e doing a good job keeping me on my toes and IB次元官网网址檓 ready to go out there and show that IB次元官网网址檓 one of the best in Canada.B次元官网网址�

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