Boxing is looking to make a comeback on the Island with a series of amateur bouts scheduled for May 28 in Esquimalt at the B次元官网网址淏ack on TrackB次元官网网址� event.

Jason Heit started Championship Promotions, the company putting on the event, in the hopes of hosting more local boxing matches, which have been scarce over the past two years, especially on Vancouver Island.

B次元官网网址淥n the Island, itB次元官网网址檚 hard to get these guys the experience that they need, because they have to travel and unfortunately with the travel in Canada logistically, especially being on the Island, expenses add up. ItB次元官网网址檚 difficult to get as many fights as we need to. When we look at some of the places where weB次元官网网址檝e gone back east and fought at nationals or Olympic qualifiers, sometimes those guys have won 200 fights and our guys have 20.B次元官网网址�

Heit trains several of the athletes at the Island MMA Training Centre who will be competing on May 28 and was himself a professional boxer. He moved to Los Angeles to fight after heB次元官网网址檇 had a successful amateur boxing career in Canada, competing for his country at the Pan Am Games.

He said heB次元官网网址檚 seen athletes get frustrated over the past couple of years, with events largely cancelled, and the few fights some of his higher-level trainees had arranged often fall through. One of those is Brandon Colantonio, 26, who has won a national silver medal but hasnB次元官网网址檛 fought in over two years with fights falling through. ThatB次元官网网址檚 left Colantonio spending countless training sessions in the gym at Island MMA Training Centre on Fisgard Street, where heB次元官网网址檚 been coming since he was 14.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just more mental than anything B次元官网网址� just keeping disciplinedB次元官网网址� maintaining my fitness and mental health really. Training helps with that.B次元官网网址�

Colantonio is at a similar stage of his career to where Heit was around 25 years ago. HeB次元官网网址檚 looking to go professional, potentially within a matter of weeks, ideally, after the event in Esquimalt, says Colantonio. Heit said Colantonio has the skills and a good amateur record, but that finding professional events in western Canada to compete in can be challenging.

B次元官网网址淲hen youB次元官网网址檙e living here, itB次元官网网址檚 not easy to do, itB次元官网网址檚 not really the ideal place to be a pro boxer. Unless we can have local events coming here, which ideally is what weB次元官网网址檙e doing,B次元官网网址� said Heit. B次元官网网址淚deally, you get enough support through the hometown crowd here. We start doing pro events and that helps the guys that want to go on to that level launch.B次元官网网址�

Colantonio is one of a selection of homegrown athletes, some as young as 15, who will be competing at the event in Esquimalt.

B次元官网网址淚 pretty much grew up here. This is like my second home this gym and this is like my family in a lot of ways right,B次元官网网址� said Colantonio.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 great to end my amateur career where it started, here in Victoria. ThatB次元官网网址檚 another thing thatB次元官网网址檚 awesome about this.B次元官网网址�

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bailey.moreton@goldstreamgazette.com
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