BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
The fists are ready to fly northern
style.
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Awad Yahya (left) and Dan Gibson
fine-tune their boxing skills in preparation for the
fight night. |
The Fight Club is ready to put on its first
major show, and it's full of northern flavour.
On Saturday, April 2, the Fight Club will
host the Sudbury Saturday Fight Night at the Steelworkers'
Hall.
Tickets are $10, and are available at the
Steelworkers' Hall or the Fight Club on Durham Street. The
fights feature Northern Ontario boxers from Sudbury,
Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie and Valley
East.
Fight Club head coach Randy Hill is
anticipating a tremendous first show.
"It's the first time in a long time boxers
from around the north have come together for a show," said
Hill. "It's great and speaks volumes about boxing and its
development in the North."
Hill figures there will be at least 10 bouts
on tap.
"The majority of the bouts will feature
Sudbury boxers against boxers from other northern cities, such
as Sudbury versus Timmins, and so on," said Hill.
The fact most of the matches will feature
first time or novice fighters makes for an electrifying
atmosphere.
"With novice fighters, there's always a lot
of energy in the room," said Hill. "It will be an evening full
of emotion. These guys are brave for fighting for the first
time. The Steelworkers' Hall is known for large and loud
crowds. It will be daunting for the fighters, but they should
have a blast."
Fight Club members are excited about stepping
through the ropes.
"I am ready to fight," said Dan Gibson. "It's
been five years since I last fought. I have had this sport
inside me for a long time. I never wanted to let it go
originally. It was just inconvenient for me
to train before, but now, with this facility in Sudbury, I can
get back into boxing."
Awad Yahya will be fighting in his first
bout.
"I have been boxing for about one month,"
said Yahya. "I thought it would be a fun sport, but there's a
lot of hard work involved. It's not a sport you do
here and there. It's also not only physical,
but mental too. I am anxious to get in the ring."
