CORNWALL, Ontario – There were six hard fought bouts at the annual Boxing for Change event at the Civic Complex on Saturday, June 1, but the big winners were Big Brothers/ Big Sisters, Beyond 21 and the title charity, the Children’s Treatment Centre. Totals are still being counted, but each charity felt the love and support of the crowd that evening.
All of it would not have been possible without the amateur fighters who got in the ring and put on a show for the crowd.
In addition to the boxers in the ring, there were some visiting stars from the world of boxing outside the ring that night. Storied boxers Larry Holmes, Gerry Cooney, Michael Spinks and Ray Mercer were the special guests at the boxing for change event.
The boxing legends went back into the locker rooms before the fight began to give the future boxers a pep-talk.
“If you believe in yourself, you can do it,” said Holmes. “The most important hing you want to work on is that jab. Everyone who was a good champion had a good jab.”
Cooney encouraged them all to start looking toward the future now.
“This is the start of the rest of your life. How do you want to be remembered,” he said. “For seven years of your life, work your ass off. You’re the next generation of guys who are going to be something. Learn defense and protect your head.”
The two most anticipated matches on the card were the Guns and Hoses bout and the main event, Dave MacLean vs. David Murphy.
The Guns and Hoses match saw Cornwall Police Service officer Chris Sullivan take on Watertown, NY firefighter James Docteur.
Sullivan bloodied Docteur early in the first round. Referee Tony Luis stopped the match and awarded the win to Sullivan.
In the main event, Murphy and MacLean had a hard fought bought, but in a unanimous judges decision, the match was awarded to MacLean.
In his post match speech, MacLean praised his opponent.
“Dave was a good sport through all of this and without him there would be half as many people here,” he said.
Murphy said he felt it was a close fight.
“I had the first round, he had the second and the third was a toss up, he earned this,” said Murphy.
