Pro boxing is returning to Greater Victoria for the first time in a more than a decade and itB次元官网网址檚 a big one.
Summer Slugfest is Friday Sept. 8 outside at Western Speedway, a promotion of pro boxing, amateur mixed martial arts and kickboxing.
More importantly, itB次元官网网址檚 the first fight for VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 newly adopted son Adam Braidwood since he , who died two days after their June 16 fight in Edmonton.
Braidwood, a six-foot-four, 250-pound heavyweight, will fight ColoradoB次元官网网址檚 Kenny Lemos, a skilled boxer with 14 wins and 26 pro fights.
from on .
The trick with Lemos is caution. HeB次元官网网址檚 older, heB次元官网网址檚 a little bit chubby, so his looks are deceiving, Braidwood said.
B次元官网网址淧eople see my opponent and they think, B次元官网网址楬a, youB次元官网网址檒l walk through this fight, but heB次元官网网址檚 got wins, skills and fundamentals, donB次元官网网址檛 judge someone by their genetics, I take this fight seriously.B次元官网网址�
Of course, Lemos is only one challenge Braidwood faces getting back in the ring.
The incident of HagueB次元官网网址檚 death is barely two months behind us and is still making the rounds in national media, raising questions about fighter safety and concussions. ItB次元官网网址檚 the latest, and biggest twist in BraidwoodB次元官网网址檚 crazy life, one that included crime and drug addiction, but also a life the promising 33-year-old athlete has put back on track.
HeB次元官网网址檚 the title holder for CanadaB次元官网网址檚 WBU belt and is looking to crack the top ranks of world boxing.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a winding road but IB次元官网网址檓 hoping it leads to greener pastures,B次元官网网址� Braidwood said. B次元官网网址淚 do this with the full support of [HagueB次元官网网址檚] family, itB次元官网网址檚 just boxing, itB次元官网网址檚 what I love.
B次元官网网址淵es I could stop and retire and go that route, but itB次元官网网址檚 not me.B次元官网网址�
A high school football star, Braidwood was drafted first overall by the Edmonton Eskimos in 2006. A football injury led Braidwood to an addiction with opiate painkillers that led to more drugs and some bad decisions that resulted in led to multiple criminal charges and a period of three years in and out of jail.
To his credit, Braidwood is now giving back. HeB次元官网网址檚 spoken to at-risk youth for VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Gang Squad, and openly told his story in a Ted X talk and in a video.
See BraidwoodB次元官网网址檚 story here.
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B次元官网网址淚t isnB次元官网网址檛 the easiest stuff to talk about, my life is a crazy life, some of my issues are so horrendous. ItB次元官网网址檚 easy to say none of this happened and not address it but I didnB次元官网网址檛 feel like thereB次元官网网址檚 anything beneficial about that so I talk about it,B次元官网网址� Braidwood said.
Locally, Braidwood trains out of Zuma (he met owner-coach Adam Zugec in Edmonton a decade ago) and is excited to have the local fighters heB次元官网网址檚 supported at recent shows be at Slugfest.
B次元官网网址淚 support the local fighters, been to local fights and IB次元官网网址檓 excited to have them at the show because a lot of them follow my career, itB次元官网网址檚 cool to have trained with these guys.B次元官网网址�
Also fighting at Slugfest are local kickboxers (verses Kentaro Miyachi), Greg Lamothe (vs. Osvaldo Venegas), Tim Packer (vs. Gilbert Nakatani), Rob Doerksen (vs. Cody Jerome) and Saanich twins Paul and Peter Lopez making their MMA debut against Grey Patino and Justin Knoepfli, respectively.
from on .
With a live band and a beer garden, itB次元官网网址檚 going to be a big night, Peterec said.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the most expensive card weB次元官网网址檝e ever done except for Donny LalondB次元官网网址檚 card [in 1996],B次元官网网址� Peterec said. B次元官网网址淭he cost is unbelievable, this card is at least $25,000 for flights and purses, which usually tops at $10,000.B次元官网网址�
Peterec is the premier promoter in town though pro MMA did thrive during the AFC years, with Jason Heit, whoB次元官网网址檚 Island MMA shares a space with PeterecB次元官网网址檚 two-floor gym on Fisgard.
Peterec is hoping the Western Speedway venue will bring out a couple thousand for a warm September night.
