Boxing in Canada

Last updated

The sport of boxing has been practised in Canada since before Canadian Confederation in 1867. Boxing was illegal in Canada during the bare-knuckle era but fights took place in remote areas and the last of them was in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1901.

Contents

Tommy Burns from Normanby Township near Hanover, Ontario, was the first Canadian to win the world heavyweight title, becoming the champion in 1906 and defending the title thirteen times until he was defeated via Referee's decision by Jack Johnson on Boxing Day December 26, 1908 at Rushcutters Bay, Sydney NSW Australia. [1] On May 10, 2014, Bermane Stiverne won the vacant WBC World Heavyweight Championship after a sixth-round knockout of Chris Arreola. [2]

Governing bodies

There is currently a debate in Canadian boxing circles regarding the oldest active professional championship sanctioning body. The National Championship of Canada (NCC) claims to be the legitimate continuation of the Canadian Boxing Federation (CBF) title, which was dissolved to avoid any conflict with the organization's goals regarding safety and regulation. The CBF title dates back to 1925. The Canadian Professional Boxing Council (CPBC) also claims to be the oldest active sanctioning body in Canada, tracing its history back to 1976. The CPBC rejects the NCC's claim to the CBF's history. As of 2016, the CPBC is the more active of the two bodies, while a certain degree of prestige continues to surround the NCC title thanks to champions like Brandon Cook, Sylvera Louis, and Dillon Carman.

Boxing Canada is the national governing body for the sport of boxing in Canada recognized by the Canadian Olympic Committee. [3]

Notable boxers

BoxerNotes
Trevor Berbick held the Canadian heavyweight championship for much of the 1980s and briefly held the WBC heavyweight championship in 1986 before losing the belt to a young Mike Tyson; he was also the last man to fight Muhammad Ali, winning a 10-round unanimous decision
Lou Brouillard held the world welterweight title and a version of the world middleweight title in the early 1930s; BoxRec ranks him as the 14th best middleweight of all-time and the 3rd best Canadian boxer ever
Tommy Burns the first Canadian to win the world heavyweight title; famously would fight anyone of any race or ethnicity
George Chuvalo top-rank heavyweight fighter in the 1950s to 1970s with a legendary chin, having never been knocked down or knocked out in 93 pro fights against other boxing greats such as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and George Foreman; also a five-time Canadian heavyweight champion and participant in Ring Magazine's "Fight of the Year" in 1965 against Floyd Patterson
Jack Delaney held light heavyweight boxing championship of the world in the 1920s and was a contender for the heavyweight title
George Dixon the first black world boxing champion in any weight class, while also being the first ever Canadian-born boxing champion; considered the #1 Featherweight of all-time by Ring Magazine founder Nat Fleischer
David Downey is in the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame and the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame
Joe Engfirst Chinese-Canadian boxer who hailed from Vancouver in the early 1930s and fought 18 times losing only three decisions. [4]
Al Ford Former CBF Lightweight Champion and is in the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame and the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame
Ryan Ford Former UBO World Light Heavyweight Champion, WBC International Silver Light Heavyweight Champion and son of retired boxer Al Ford
Arturo Gatti top-rank featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight fighter from the 1990s to 2000s who became famous for his trilogy against Micky Ward, held multiple championships from the IBF & WBC, and participated in Ring Magazine's "Fight of the Year" a total of four times (1997, 1998, 2002, and 2003)
Sam Langford considered one of the greatest punchers of all time, he won the World Colored Heavyweight Championship a record five-times; BoxRec ranks him as the 4th greatest heavyweight of all-time, the 9th greatest pound-for-pound fighter of all-time and the greatest Canadian boxer of all-time
Lennox Lewis represented Canada at the 1986 Commonwealth Games and 1987 Pan American Games winning a Gold and Silver medal, respectively, both in the super heavyweight category; went on to win Gold for Canada in the 1988 Summer Olympics, defeating future heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe in the finals; later turned professional and became the undisputed world heavyweight champion (WBC/IBF/WBA/IBO/The Ring) in the late 1990s; he is also the only man to score a TKO against former champion Vitali Klitschko
Jimmy McLarnin a two-time welterweight world champion in the 1930s; participated in Ring Magazine's "Fight of the Year" in 1934
Jean Pascal Former lineal, The Ring and WBC light-heavyweight champion with notable victories over Chad Dawson, Adrian Diaconu and Lucian Bute. Pascal has fought champions Carl Froch and Bernard Hopkins (twice). Represented Canada at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Donovan Ruddock promising heavyweight in the 1980s & 1990s who held both the WBA Inter-Continental & Canadian heavyweight titles; well known for his battles with Mike Tyson who he fought twice in 1991
Adonis Stevenson Current WBC and The Ring light heavyweight champion; won a Silver medal for Canada in the 2006 Commonwealth Games
Bermane Stiverne Most recent former WBC heavyweight champion (2014-2015)
Samuel Vargas Current WBA-NABA Welterweight Champion and former NCC Welterweight Champion

Venues

VenueCityEst.
Genesis Centre Calgary, Alberta 2012–present
Shaw Conference Centre Edmonton, Alberta 1980s–present
Dartmouth Sportsplex Dartmouth, Nova Scotia 1980s–present
Halifax Forum Halifax, Nova Scotia 1920s–present
Halifax Metro Centre Halifax, Nova Scotia1970s–present
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex Kitchener, Ontario 1950s–present
Hershey Centre Mississauga, Ontario 2000s–present
Corona Theatre Montreal, Quebec 1910s–present
Montreal Forum Montreal, Quebec1920s–1990s
Delorimier Stadium Montreal, Quebec1920s–1960s
Centre Pierre Charbonneau Montreal, Quebec1950s–present
Paul Sauvé Arena Montreal, Quebec1960s–1990s
Casino de Montréal Montreal, Quebec1990s–present
Uniprix Stadium Montreal, Quebec1990s–present
Bell Centre Montreal, Quebec1990s–present
Montreal Olympic Stadium Montreal, Quebec1970s–present
Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort Niagara Falls, Ontario 2000s–present
Carnegie Centennial Centre Toronto, Ontario 1960s–present
Colisée Pepsi Quebec City, Quebec 1940s–present
Casino Rama Rama, Ontario 1990s–present
Regina Exhibition Stadium Regina, Saskatchewan 1920s–1970s
SaskTel Centre Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 1980s–present
Arena Gardens Toronto, Ontario1910s–1930s
Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto, Ontario1930s–1990s
Ricoh Coliseum Toronto, Ontario1920s–present
Varsity Arena Toronto, Ontario1920s–present
St. Lawrence Market Toronto, Ontario1950s–1970s
Pacific Coliseum Vancouver, British Columbia 1960s–present
Caesars Windsor Windsor, Ontario 1990s–present
Windsor Arena Windsor, Ontario1920s–present
Winnipeg Arena Winnipeg, Manitoba 1950s to 2000s

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lennox Lewis</span> British-Canadian boxer (born 1965)

Lennox Claudius Lewis is a boxing commentator and former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 2003. He is a three-time world heavyweight champion, a two-time lineal champion, and held the undisputed championship. Holding dual British and Canadian citizenship, Lewis represented Canada as an amateur at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics; in the latter, he won a gold medal in the super-heavyweight division. Lewis is regarded by many as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, and one of the greatest British fighters of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Boxing Organization</span> Sanctioning organization for professional boxing bouts

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is an organization which sanctions professional boxing bouts. It is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), and International Boxing Federation (IBF). The WBO's headquarters are located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Povetkin</span> Russian boxer (born 1979)

Alexander Vladimirovich "Sasha" Povetkin is a Russian former professional boxer who competed from 2005 to 2021. He held the World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight title from 2011 to 2013; the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight title from 2020 to 2021; and challenged twice for the unified heavyweight championship in 2013 and 2018.

Cruiserweight, also referred to as junior heavyweight, is a weight class in professional boxing between light heavyweight and heavyweight. Before the advent of the current cruiserweight class, "light heavyweight" and "cruiserweight" were sometimes used interchangeably in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galen Center</span> Multipurpose indoor arena in Los Angeles, US

The Galen Center is a multipurpose indoor arena and athletic facility owned and operated by the University of Southern California. Located at the southeast corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Figueroa Street in the Exposition Park area of Los Angeles, California, United States, it is right across the street from the campus and near the Shrine Auditorium. The Galen Center is the home of the USC Trojans basketball and USC volleyball; in addition it hosts concerts, pageants, theatrical performances, high school graduation ceremonies, CIF championships and the Academic Decathlon. The annual Kids' Choice Awards were held here from 2011 to 2014, and returned in 2017 and 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Professional boxing</span> Full contact combat sport

Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory authority to guarantee the fighters' safety. Most high-profile bouts obtain the endorsement of a sanctioning body, which awards championship belts, establishes rules, and assigns its own judges and referees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amateur boxing</span> Type of boxing

Amateur boxing is the variant of boxing practiced in clubs and associations around the world, at the Olympic Games, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games, as well as at the collegiate level.

Odlanier Solís Fonte is a Cuban retired professional boxer. He has challenged once for the WBC heavyweight title in 2011, and is a former top-rated contender in that division. As an amateur heavyweight, Solis was one of the most celebrated and decorated amateur stars of the 2000s, winning a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics, and three consecutive golds at the World Championships in 2001, 2003, and 2005. Odlanier Solís beat Luis Ortiz multiple times in the amateurs, never losing to him.

Bermane Stiverne is a Haitian-Canadian professional boxer. He held the WBC heavyweight title from 2014 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Arreola</span> American boxer (born 1981)

Cristobal Arreola is an American former professional boxer who challenged three times for the WBC heavyweight title. He was ranked by BoxRec as the world's No.8 heavyweight at the conclusion of 2007 and as No.7 heavyweight from 2008 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deontay Wilder</span> American boxer (born 1985)

Deontay Leshun Wilder is an American professional boxer. He held the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight title from 2015 to 2020. By winning the title, Wilder became the first American world heavyweight champion since 2007, which was the longest period of time in boxing history without an American heavyweight champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weight class (boxing)</span> Measurement weight range for boxers

[An image needs to be inserted for flyweight]

Mark de Mori is an Australian professional boxer, who fights at heavyweight.

Trevor Cosmo Bryan Jr is an American professional boxer. He held the WBA (Regular) heavyweight title between 2021 and 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz</span> Boxing competitions

Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz was a professional boxing match contested on March 3, 2018, for the WBC Heavyweight Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deontay Wilder vs. Dominic Breazeale</span> Boxing competition

Deontay Wilder vs. Dominic Breazeale was a professional boxing match contested on May 18, 2019 for the WBC Heavyweight Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bermane Stiverne vs. Deontay Wilder</span> Boxing competition

Bermane Stiverne vs. Deontay Wilder was a professional boxing match, billed as Return to Glory, was a professional boxing match contested on 17 January 2015 for the WBC heavyweight championship.

The Canadian Professional Boxing Council (CPBC) is a sanctioning body for professional boxing in Canada.

References

  1. Elizabeth Salomons (1999), Canada Through the Decades - The 1900s, p. 29, ISBN   9781896990705
  2. "Bermane Stiverne drops Chris Arreola for heavyweight belt - CBC Sports - Sporting news, opinion, scores, standings, schedules". Cbc.ca. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  3. "Boxing". Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website. 2011-08-10. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  4. "Eng, Joseph Dale". UBC AtoM : Rare Books and Special Collections. University of British Columbia Library. Retrieved 16 December 2024.