Fight fans in the South Cariboo will be happy to know the Zeus Fight Science Boxing and Fitness gym, which opened on Exeter Road in 100 Mile House last November, has a number of new young fighters donning the gloves and stepping in the ring to compete.
Most recently, three boxers – Brandon Balbirnie, 14, Michael Montgomery, 17, and Kaleigh Bullerwell, 26, – fought on a card organized by the Madkatz Boxing Club at Rutland Centennial Hall in Kelowna on Aug. 24.
Bullerwell (2-0) defeated Anna Michalska via TKO in round 2. Karn Brar defeated Montgomery (0-1) via unanimous decision and Beau Smith defeated Balbirnie (1-1) by technical knockout in third round.
“[Balbirnie] was in against probably the guy to beat in his division,” says coach Kelly Ricketts of Zeus Fight Science. “And it's only his second fight.
"He stepped up the competition level big time. He fought a really good fight against this guy.”
In round 2, Smith hit Balbirnie with a hard right hand that drew a lot of blood from his nose. Balbirnie continued to fight, but the contest was stopped midway through the third.
“They were concerned about the blood,” Ricketts says, adding he thought the referee should have let his fighter continue.
“When it's really lopsided, maybe [stop the fight]. But, when you're head-to-head with each other, throwing bombs, as far as I'm concerned, you let them go. Let the decision be on the scorecard.”
Balbirnie says he made a few mistakes by dropping his hands a little too early, but he notes in the future, he wants a rematch with Smith, who fights out of Gibsons' Sunshine Coast Boxing Club.
“It was a really good fight. He was very hard to hit because he would just keep punching and punching and punching. He didn't stop.
"I had to go in there, intercept the flurry of punches, and kind of find a way to get in every time.”
Bullerwell’s fight was fast-paced early on, which would have been hard to keep it up through three rounds, she says.
“But, after [her opponent's] first standing eight count, I decided I wasn't going to let up.... I knew if I stayed relentless, it wouldn't go the three rounds.”
Bullerwell started training with Ricketts in November. She enjoys boxing partly because of the dedication it requires, she adds.
“You have a couple weeks where you're incredibly focused on this particular goal. It's a scary thing stepping into that ring.
"You have confidence on one hand that you've been training hard and your coach has prepared you. On the other hand, you have that healthy fear of the unknown.
“It's a huge accomplishment. Win or lose.”
That's the way Ricketts sees Montgomery's first competitive match. He says his boxer fought a great fight, but he made some mistakes common of novice fighters, like burning up too much energy too early in the match.
“Nerves get to you. The whole thing is very energizing, and at the same time, very draining.
"The crowd's roaring, the place is sold out.... I should have paid more attention to the mental aspect of the game to help him prepare.”
Ricketts has been involved in competitive boxing since 1983 and has found success at the national level – both as a coach and a fighter. Zeus Fight Science is open to young and old, men and women, those with aspirations to fight or those who just want to train like boxers.
A number of club members attended the fights in Kelowna, Ricketts says.
“This is a family. I refer to it often as 'Zeus family'.... We support each other.”