Golden Gloves in the ring

The action was fast and furious at the Golden Gloves boxing tournament held in Swift Current over the weekend featuring 26 bouts between fighters from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Cranbrook, BC.

"It went really good," said Swift Current Boxing Club trainer Mike Kucik. "It takes an awful lot of organizing for months ahead of time but we had a lot of good help from our association the Saskatchewan Amateur Boxing Association from Regina. They came down with their officials and the president which is Frank Fiacco from Regina and they organized everything and put things together."

In the ring Swift Current's Mackenzie Mason won a pair of bouts in his weight class to capture a gold medal.

"He is a little fella, a 117 pounder, and he is short so it puts him at a disadvantage because he is always boxing someone that is a lot taller," said Kucik. "But he really performed well and he looked really good. I actually got some phone calls from BC stating how well he looked."

Jesse Logan of Swift Current placed second after a loss to Mason on Sunday.

Swift Current's Wyatt Bishop picked up a silver medal at 160 lbs, while young Jerrid Clarke also earned a silver medal at 94 lbs.

Kucik explained that for his boxers competing in front of their hometown crowd can be as difficult as it is exciting.

"It helps them but there are also nerves there. It is quite a thing to be in front of your hometown people with your parents and your friends there. If you can handle it then good it is a big plus. If it gets on you then you have something to worry about. But I think that it all went real good."

Kucik also extended his gratitude to a few people.

"We had good support and a big thank-you to our doctors, Doctor Johnston and Doctor Vanderberg. We had two doctors, which is a rarity because you sometimes have a hard time finding just one. But they were both there and they are just super people."

Although the season is winding down Kucik says he hopes to have fighters in Eston on April 25th as well as in Regina at the end of May.

smah@swbooster.com