The Sunshine Coast Boxing Club kicked off its competitive season Sept. 15 at the Venue Night Club in Vancouver, which is an old-style nightclub that had half the spectators viewing the fights from balconies above the ring, creating a great atmosphere for this sold-out event.
Boxing BC’s competitive season got underway with this 10-bout card featuring Gibsons’ super heavyweight Theo Kontekakis and middleweight Marcus Davies of Sechelt.
Kontekakis boxed a rematch of his winning June 1 Gibsons fight against Surrey’s B.C. champion and Canadian bronze medalist Sukh Sahota.
On this day, the Surrey boxer won a split decision, which sets up an inevitable third fight, most likely at the BC Provincial Championships later this season.
By the time Davies entered the ring for his main-event fight with Surrey’s Ari Ashari, the house was electric after enjoying the stacked under card.
Both men are blocks of muscle who utilize an infighting style. Just looking at these athletes had the fight fans buzzing at the possibility of a great fight.
Davies and Ashari lived up to and exceeded what the crowd was hoping to see. Heavy punching, experience and the high skill level these men have worked years to develop were on display.
Davies, fighting his best fight in a couple years, would roll under Ashari’s punches and counter with crisp punches of his own.
So intense and well boxed was this fight that the house was on its feet screaming throughout as they enjoyed what was probably the best boxing match in B.C. going back to the days of Gibsons’ George Vourtsis’ Highlight Reel career.
The game and skilled Ashari would reply in kind, often turning the tide and forcing Davies to dig deep into his boxing toolbox.
Davies kept his opponent on the ropes often enough to win a close but unanimous decision over his respected opponent.
Davies and Kontekakis were well prepared for this card by their boxing and conditioning coach Tariq Abdualrahman, owner of Lift Strength and Conditioning Centre in Wilson Creek, where the Sunshine Coast Boxing Club is located.
For information regarding the Sunshine Coast Boxing Club or Lift Strength and Conditioning Centre and their programs, see www.liftscbc.com
