THE BRIAN ZELLEY BOXING JOURNEY

NANAIMO BOXING STORY: by brian zelley George Nepper and boxers http://nanaimoboxing.blogspot.ca/ It would begin in 1964  Gilles Nepper and Brian Zelley winning Island championships, then Mike Lazare would win back to back titles in the novice bronze gloves and the open junior emeral gloves.  And, others would follow in 1966 and 1967 such as Ken Stant and Rick Johnson. NANAIMO BOXING HISTORY * The link above covers about 50 years of history (1963 to 2012) The story begins with the Newcastle Boxing club and the Nepper family, and then the formation of the Nanaimo Boxing Club in 1971 and blastd through years of history with many names and faces including some detail of  some of the early members such as Jack Snaith and Mickey Griffin, and Bob Pegues to Barry Creswell. MY VICTORIA BOXING Photo: November 1974 by Jim Ryan for the old "Victirian" newspaper and a story by writer Patty Pitts with the title "Box...

The Canadian Amateur Boxing story: by brian zelley http://bzelley-canadianamateurboxing.blogspot.ca/ The first blog - 2009 * This is a collection of  69 stories between 2009 and 2012 with a cross section of topics.  2009 - Some of the story titles: * History - Boxing BC  , * Training Centre and Fade To Black, * Frank Scott,    * What Is Boxing, * The Maritimes Boxing, and * Boxing in Alberta 2010 to 2012 -  Some of the story titles: * Victoria Jaycees Boxing Club,  * The Boxing Highway - 2010, * BC Canadian champions and contenders, * Flyweights to Lightweights * 1969 A New Beginning, * 1970  The Start of A New Decade, * 1971 Marvin Arneson and Jack Meda remain champs, JACK MEDA, returns as  the heavyweight champion * 1972 The Dawn of The Elite Champion This piece would mention IAN CLYDE who would continue to be a champion until 1980 when he...

THE LINKS TO THE STORIES: by Brian Zelley BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING HALL OF FAME http://bcabhof.blogspot.ca/ BOXING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA http://boxinginbc.blogspot.ca/ Where does one begin in telling a story about amateur boxing in British Columbia as it  covers many decades with a large body of history from boxing clubs, officials, coaches and the trainees and experienced boxers. * The stories run the gamut  from the first that touches on the 1967 Diamond Belt tournament to a recent boxing card hosted by the 2 Rivers Boxing Club. THE GOLDEN GLOVES and THE DIAMOND BELT http://bzgloves.blogspot.ca/ * the above link covers various golden gloves tournaments that took place between 1939 and 2010, also there is a  list of boxers that participated in the Sixties.  BC BOXING COACHES and OFFICIALS                   IAN GIBSON, long time ring officials in Brit...

ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL: By Brian  Zelley (photo of my last fight in 1973) Beyond our own personal little story, there are many others with very interesting stories and significant achievements and contributions. The Canadian Amateur Boxing Wall of Fame is a logical idea to recognize the cream of the crop and the best of the best. To do this on a Canadian level is a big project, but with three years involvement with the British Columbia Amateur Boxing Hall of Fame, the logical process would be to break the project down into regions as folks in each province and collection of provinces would be best able to select their own for nominations.  In the beginning it was thought that there would be about 40 or so nomionations from four regions and then some of those would get picked. But, based on the quality of the regional process, the end of what we could call year 1 there are 55 selected from across Canada. For all 55 sele...

MY LAST FIGHT: by brian zelley *The last fight was likely one of my best fights for effective punching, defense and movement. It took place in Nanaimo,  and was agains Clark MacLellan.  Prior to that fight I had been  with former top world welterweight  contender  Manny Gonzalez who showed me movement where it was inches instead of feet.   1973 1974: A NEW JOUREY BEGINS: 1974 A New Journey

MY BOXING STORIES: by brian zelley Since the mid-sixties, I have had the opportunity to write many amateur boxing stories and reports, and a  few pro boxing articles and  countless letters some of which appeared in "The RING", "Boxing Illustrated", "International Boxing" and "World Boxing" But, starting in 2009, there was a greater opportunity to tell the boxing story about boxers, coaches, officials, tournaments and other matters. The Variety of Topics The variety of topics have ranged from stories about boxing clubs including the Newcastle Boxing Club, the Firefighters Boxing Club, the Nanaimo Boxing Club, the Campbell River Eagles Boxing Club, the London Boxing Club, the Victoria Athletics  and many more to individuals such as current Canadian amateur boxing champions Kenny Lally and Alex Rynn, to old club mates such as Gordie Lawson and Mickey Griffin, and many others such as Paul "P-Mac" MacKe...

ED WILLIAMS, a worthy nominee: by brian zelley It is with great pleasure that Ed Williams has been nominated for the 2013 British Columbia Amateur Boxing Hall of Fame. The following is a reprint of a story that I wrote about Ed which appeared in the "BC Amateur Boxing News" - May 1984. " In 1973, a major development took place that was to benefit our Native (First Nations) boxing programs. It was the revival of the BC Buckskin Gloves after a 10 year absence.  The revival was  hosted by the Matsqui-Sumas-Abbotsford Boxing Club and  held at the MSA Arena in Abbotsford in April '73... Not to be  forgotten  for his involvement was Ed Williams... I first met ED WILLIAMS in 1967 at the BC Diamond Belt tournament ... Ed remained a well liked person  for his heart and his sportsmanship and was a dedicated boxer that took time out of his own training to help others.  In 1972, another revival  took place ...

THE STORY THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS (photos: 1966 1967 and 1984) * the group photo was taken in 1984 at the Canadian Olympic boxing team training site in Burnaby, BC included in the photo Alan Brown (youth boxer) Vic Murdoch (official) Brian Zelley (official). A Nanaimo bout in the mide Seventies Bob Pegues, Joe Cooke and Les Hamilton. A ccllection of photos from 1958 to 1984. the bottom group photo by Jim Ryan for the purpose of a  story by Patty Pitts concerning the revival of boxing in  Victoria in 1974 (Ian Weir, Mike Caird and Brian Zelley). 2009 at the Induction ceremony of the  Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame. Front Row: Inductee: Mike Caird Danny O'Sullivan Gary Robinson Brian Zelley Dan Wright. Firefighters Boxing Alumni: Gordie Lawson Dave Wylie Lindy Lindmoser Brian Zelley Dick Findlay Frankie Scott Freddy Fuller NANAIMO ALUMNI * Gilles Nepp...

BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING HALL OF FAME From Idea To Reality, A 25 year journey: by brian zelley The idea of a BC Amateur boxing hall of fame was raised by me in one of  the "Boxing News" articles that I wrote  in the "Boxing Annual" that was released in September 1984 in  time for distribution at the AGM of the  BCABA, it appeared on page 8 of the 16 page annual that was filled with all the highlights of  1983/1984 boxing  season along with some "Flashback"  stories such as the Golden Gloves from 1939 to 1950 It also inlcuded a series of photos on page 7 with the  caption "Annual Round-up".  It had the title: " Wishes, Hopes & Dreams.  Wishes, Hopes and Dreams (September 1984) (from the "BC Amateur Boxing Annual of 1984" by brian zelley "There are many past and present members ...who are worthy of permanent recognition for their outstandin...