Boxer Jacob Rudkoski, 25, will represent the Nelson Boxing Club as he competes in the Rumble in the Rockies in Cranbrook next weekend.
Weighing in at 225 pounds, this will be Rudkoski’s debut Boxing BC bout as he competes in the heavyweight division in a match against Tyler Crew from Calgary’s Southpaw club on October 25.
Rudkoski, a long time West Kootenay resident currently living in Castlegar, has years of mixed martial arts training and competition but he only began boxing in May.
“I’m super excited,” he said. “There is always nervous energy but [it’s good] as long as you channel it correctly. You spend all this time refining your game; now the hard work is done and the exciting part comes.”
This two-part event will feature amateur boxers “rumbling” in 11 scheduled matches in the first half of the evening.
Six boxing clubs will come together for the rumble at the Fraternal Eagles Hall, including clubs from Salmon Arm, Lethbridge and Edmonton.
Nelson Boxing Club coach Jesse Pineiro has revived the local club with aspirations to raise the boxers’ skill level over time.
“We don’t have anyone on a provincial level yet,” said Pineiro. “[As a club] we just started. But that is what the kids are working towards, the possibility of one day representing the province at the Nationals or the country at the Olympics.”
The second half of the night is the Charity Challenge fundraiser for needy families in the area.
This event will feature local “blue collar, white collar” boxers stepping into the ring.
Local celebrities from business communities will be stepping into the ring for three one-minute rounds complete with gloves, head gear, and mouth guards as it’s full contact boxing.
“Some might be truck drivers and another might be from a car dealership,” said Eagles Boxing Club coach Bill Watson.
The challenge event was a sellout last year with over 300 people attending, leaving standing room only. Over $20,000 was raised and organizers expect another sellout this year.
Tickets are $35 and can be reserved by calling Bill Watson at 250-919-7181.
In 2013, Boxing BC embarked on a development program in an effort to build a competitive edge as they prepare athletes for completion in the Canadian Nationals, which is the road to the Olympics. Team BC won nine out of 10 titles as well as the award for Best Female Boxer at the 2014 Western Championships.
At the end of October, Boxing BC will represent Western Canada with athletes in 10 weight divisions (out of a total of 13 divisions) at the Canadian Olympic Amateur boxing championships (nationals) in Mississauga, Ont. with what Boxing BC is calling “the best senior elite team BC has put together in years.”