PROFESSIONAL BOXING BACK IN VANCOUVER THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 27

Vancouver, BC (July 26, 2007) – Get ready to spend a night at the fights as Double Jab Promotions presents “Vancouver Fights” – an all action evening of professional boxing on Thursday September 27 at the Croatian Cultural Centre.

For the first time in Vancouver, boxing fans will be able see talented hometown cruiserweight prospect AJ Bone in action. Bone, a Commonwealth Games gold medalist and Olympian increased his record to 2-0 in July with a decisive knockout victory and he is ready to send another victim to the canvas ASAP. The card will be a family affair as Bone’s brother, super middleweight Albert “The Punisher” Onolunose (12-0) also makes his Vancouver debut. Onolunose is fresh off a July victory in his hometown of Calgary and on the fast track to a title shot.

“Vancouver Fights” will also feature former Canadian champion Mark “The Machine Gun” Woolnough of Qualicum Beach, BC. Woolnough will be returning to the ring for the first time since his Canadian super middleweight title fight loss to legend Otis Grant in 2004. This former champion is back on the scene, and ready to make another run to the top. His journey starts here in Vancouver on September 27.

Rounding out the evening are talented Vancouver middleweight Andy Mavros (3-0), who impressed audiences most recently with his commanding win at the River Rock Casino, lightweight Julius “Bazuka” Odion (10-0), and welterweight “Diamond” Dale Phillips (1-1).

If you are looking for a night of professional boxing at its very best, courtesy of Western Canada’s best boxers, don’t miss “Vancouver Fights” on Thursday September 27.

For tickets and further information please call

Kevin Howard: 604.988.3684
Gillian Armstrong: 604.908.4455

Qualicum Beach: The Boxing Capital of BC?

Q & A with Richard LeStage

Richard LeStage runs the Parksville-Qualicum Boxing Club in Qualicum Beach, B.C. That particular part of Vancouver Island is known for not only its pretty beaches and mild weather, but also for having the oldest population in Canada. It is an unlikely place to find three of the best fighters in the province, but LeStage is quietly turning Parksville-Qualicum into British Columbia’s own mini-Montreal. He is in the process of building a new gym specifically designed for his work training former Canadian super middleweight champion Mark Woolnough, middleweight Matt O’Brien and heavyweight Shane Andreesen.

While Woolnough (14-5-1) and O’Brien (17-1) are boxing veterans, the newest star in LeStage’s roster is heavyweight Shane Andreesen. Andreesen made news recently when he was signed to Banner Promotions out of Philadelphia. A huge accomplishment for a small town fighter. His record stands at 6-0, with his last win coming on the undercard of the Ricky Hatton-Jose-Luis Castillo fight in Las Vegas.

On Saturday July 21, 24 year old Andreesen is making his Canadian debut at the River Rock Casino & Resort in Richmond, B.C. He will take on Darrell Flint (12-12-1).  The “Rumble at the Rock” card will not only enable a hometown crowd to see Andreesen in action, it will also kick off the start of a new era of professional boxing in Vancouver.

I caught up with Richard LeStage last week in Richmond to talk to him about Woolnough, O’Brien and Andreesen.

PROFESSIONAL BOXING BACK IN VANCOUVER JULY 21

Yesterday at the River Rock Casino and Resort in Richmond, B.C, it was announced that professional boxing was finally making a comeback to the lower mainland after a six year absence.

The last professionally sanctioned boxing card in Vancouver took place on October 26, 2001.

Former fighter Manny Sobral’s West Coast Promotions, in conjunction with the River Rock Casino and Resort are the parties responsible for this feat. It is the culmination of a long struggle to bring boxing back to the area. Sobral had promoted two previous amateur events at the site in the past two years, both of which were sell-outs. Buoyed by the response to those shows, the group then spearheaded the campaign to establish an Athletic Commission in the Vancouver suburb of Richmond. When that was accomplished earlier this year, the “Rumble at the Rock” card became a reality.

“Rumble at the Rock” will be headlined by former Olympian silver medalist Egerton Marcus (16-4-1). Marcus will make his return in an 8 round light heavyweight bout against American Carl Gathright (6-10-1). Marcus, who is now fighting under the name Egerton Emba, has not had a fight since 2001, when he lost to Donovan “Razor” Ruddock for the Canadian heavyweight title.

Also on the card is exciting heavyweight prospect Shane Andreesen of Qualicum, B.C. Andreesen made news recently when he was signed to Banner Promotions out of Philadelphia. Andreesen last fought on the under card of the Jose-Luis Castillo-Ricky Hatton show in Las Vegas a few weeks ago and his record is now 6-0, 3ko’s. The “Rumble at the Rock” will be Andreesen’s Canadian debut. He will be fighting 45 year old Darrell Flint of Halifax, N.S. whose record is 12-12-1.

Rounding out the card will be local fighters Kevin Reynolds, Andy Mavros, Paul Tryl, Louis Sargeant, Kajan Johnson and Darren Darby.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

KLITSCHKO VICTORIOUS OVER BREWSTER

Tonight in Cologne, Germany, Wladimir Klitschko (49-3, 44KO) retained his IBF heavyweight title with a 6^th round TKO over Lamon Brewster (33-4, 29KO).

The highly anticipated rematch of their 2004 battle, in which Brewster won on a surprising 5^th round TKO stoppage, ended when Brewster’s trainer Buddy McGirt stopped the fight at the halfway point.

Klitschko’s nickname “Dr Steelhammer” should perhaps be changed to “Dr Jabhammer”, as he used his precision jab to control the fight. Brewster had a very hard time avoiding Klitschko’s freakishly long left arm and the fist at the end of it, and couldn’t get inside for the life of him where he may have been able to deliver the kind of punches he had come to Germany to throw.

Klitschko came out into the middle of the ring at the first bell, and planted himself there, clearly establishing his distance and his game plan, which seemed to be somewhere along the lines of  “avoid getting hit in the face.” And that he did, controlling the pace and frustrating the American challenger by continually landing his jab upstairs, pretty much whenever he felt like it.

By the 3^rd, Klitschko seemed confident enough to start adding his right hand to the repertoire, and landed a few of those for good measure on the already tired looking Brewster. If Brewster’s idea was to get inside and test the famously questionable Ukrainian chin, he had another thing coming.

Klitscho was relaxed and unhurried, whereas Brewster was mostly throwing himself at the champion, like the fight depended on it. Which it did.

In the 6^th, McGirt warned Brewster that it was to be his last round if he didn’t step it up and stop getting hit squarely in the face. He tried his best, but was pushed off balance and seemed exhausted after Klitschko leaned on him mid round, like a 243 ½ pound blanket covering a sleepy child.

Tonight Klitschko avenged the loss that had been haunting him for the past three years. He now wants to unify the title and become the undisputed heavyweight champion. His performance tonight was an excellent example of smarts and skill. He dominated Lamon Brewster from beginning to end. But it wasn’t the kind of performance that would leave one clamouring for more. Does this “toughski” (as Larry Merchant called him) have what it takes for people to get excited about the heavyweights again?

SIMMS-ALCINE: THE YELLING, THE SCREAMING, THE PROMISE OF A GREAT FIGHT?

Don King wasn’t a participant in last week’s conference call promoting the WBA light middleweight title fight between “Tremendous” Travis Simms (25-0, 19KOs) and Joachim “Ti-Joa” Alcine (28-0, 18KOs), but I am almost positive that he was somewhere in the immediate vicinity, squealing with glee and delight during the heated exchange of verbal fireworks that was orchestrated to lead up to July 7^th’s “Fistic Fireworks” card in Bridgeport, Connecticut. There may or may not have been a directive to mix it up on the call, but there definitely will be one when it comes time for the two to step into the ring on Saturday night.