The Sunshine Coast is home to a new boxing champion after George Vourtsis of Gibsons scored a fourth round TKO over Josh VanRhyn to claim the City Boxing Welterweight Championship belt last Saturday night at the Richmond Sports Club.
The fight, which was fought before a packed house, was possibly the best amateur fight in B.C. in many years, according to Sunshine Coast Boxing Club coach Rick Shannon.
In the first round the tall chiseled Richmond welterweight took to the offensive, using a crackling left jab followed up by sharp straight right hands that smacked off Vourtsis' head, sending sweat flying into the air and piling up the points.
Vourtsis shook off these punishing blows and walked his opponent down and began pounding VanRhyn's body with body shots.
VanRhyn managed to control the distance between him and the shorter Vourtsis for the later part of the first round and into the early part of the second round when the fight turned in Vourtsis' favour as a few big body shots began to slow VanRhyn allowing the big punching Gibsons boxer to bring hard hooks and uppercuts to the head of VanRhyn, bloodying him.
In the third round, the fight became dramatic as VanRhyn, feeling the fight slipping away from him, stopped moving and boxing and chose to go toe-to-toe with Vourtsis.
Undaunted Vourtsis kept with his body attack, which by now was reddening the ribs of the fair skinned VanRhyn.
VanRhyn was turning the tide in his favor, hitting the durable Vourtsis with many of his best punches and even caused Vourtsis mouthpiece to fly into the crowd at one point.
Fighting back, Vourtsis caught VanRhyn with a wicked flurry of punches near the rounds' end staggering him and forcing referee Diane Dutra, herself a former professional world boxing champion, to administer a standing eight-count to access the condition of VanRhyn.
The fourth round began with VanRhyn leading the fight two rounds to one.
Vourtsis corner men Randy Hollett and Todd Allain told him he had to turn the bout into a street fight and would need to stop his opponent to get the win. And he did just that going toe-to-toe with the now tiring VanRhyn. Vourtsis twice scored eight counts forcing the referee to stop the fight late in the fourth and final round.
While both men were exhausted they embraced and shook hands respectfully congratulating one another for a hard fought bout.
"This was a fight between two good guys who both have a lot of heart, guts and boxing skill," said Shannon.
Vourtsis disclosed after the fight that he hurt his right hand in the first found. The doctor inspected the hand post bout and recommended that he appear for an X-Ray for what is possibly a broken hand, which was confirmed on Sunday afternoon. He will be sidelined at least eight weeks.
"While Vourtsis at 35 may only have a few years left as a fighter, VanRhyn should be one of the best boxers in B.C. for some time," added Shannon. "George forced Josh off his game plan, which was to box and fight the latter part of the fight on his terms - a case of old age and treachery overcoming youth and skill."
More than 30 supporters from the Sunshine Coast were on hand to cheer on Vourtsis and he was swarmed by many of them in the ring after the fight.
The fight has been voted as Fight of the Year and the boxers will be presented with trophies at the next event in Langley March 2.
