National boxing championships coming to Sarnia this fall

Competitive young boxers from across Canada will be in Sarnia in November for the Boxing Canada 2024 Elite and U23 National Championships.

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It’s being hosted Nov. 19 to 23 by the Bluewater Boxing Club in partnership with Tourism Sarnia-Lambton with matches being held in the gym at the Royal SCITS Academy on Wellington Street.

“Nationals represent an opportunity, particularly just following an Olympics, to reset the national team,” Kraig Devlin of Boxing Canada said in a release.

“Strong performances at nationals are a key opportunity for athletes to demonstrate that they are ready for the intensity and commitment needed to go to the international level.”

It has been about 15 years since Sarnia hosted the nationals, said Tom Hennessey, event director with Bluewater Boxing.

“This year, we decided it was time to bring it back and we put in a bid,” he said. “I think they had five bids from across the country and they chose ours. I think we put in a compelling reason to have it here.”

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The bid included videos of the club’s recent boxing events in Sarnia, he said. “In the hangar, at the last show we put on out at the airport, we had well in excess of 700 fans.”

About 225 athletes are expected in November. “. . . With coaches and families, we’re expecting probably upwards of 600 coming in,” Hennessey said.

“Tourism Sarnia-Lambton is proud to partner with Bluewater Boxing Club and Boxing Canada to bring this exciting event to our region,” said Mark Perrin, executive director of Tourism Sarnia-Lambton.

“We look forward to showcasing our Lambton County businesses, restaurants, hotels, attractions and more to visitors from across the country and providing a warm welcome to all attendees,” he said.

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Sarnia is expected to have several boxers on the provincial team and local young boxers who will demonstrate their skills at nationals, Hennessey said.

“Over the last few months, we’ve had huge success with a lot of our kids,” he said. “I’m just so excited they’re going to get a chance to showcase (their abilities).”

Ticket information will be announced in coming days, Hennessey said. Watch for updates on the Bluewater Boxing Club’s Facebook page.

The nationals will showcase “the best in Canada” working to earn a spot on the national team for the next Olympics, he said.

Leading up to the event, the local club will be taking part in a provincial event and other competitions, Hennessey said. “We are going to be busy club for the next few months.”

The nationals will include the induction of eight new members of the Boxing Hall of Fame, Hennessey said.

The club raises funds for its programs with a Chase the Ace event at the local Moose Lodge Wednesdays, he added.

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