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Parksville pugilist earns spot at nationals

Forde wins silver at B.C.’s despite three-year layoff
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For a fighter trying to chip away three years of ring rust, Glenn Forde proved he can still pack a punch.

Forde, 27, captured a silver medal at Boxing B.C.’s 2019 Amateur Boxing Provincial Championships last month in Abbotsford.

The boxer, who came to Canada from Ireland three years ago and now trains out of the new Force Boxing and Fitness club at Coombs junction, has earned a spot on Team B.C. and a berth in the national championships in Victoria in April.

Competing in the 69-kilogram men’s elite class in Abbotsford, Forde fought three times in three days, winning a pair of decisions before losing (also via three-round decision) to Ilya Kovalenco of Eastside Boxing in the final.

“I don’t like to lose, but I feel good about what we accomplished,” said Forde. “Three fights in three days, without any real sparring… that was tough. I didn’t get a chance to follow any real gameplan, it was mostly just fighting.”

Forde cited an odd schedule and the years of ring rust from being away from the game as factors in his performance.

“I fought on a Friday and won, then I had to be up early Saturday for a weigh-in,” he said. “Same thing on the Sunday, when we had to be up early to go all the way into Surrey.”

He said Kovalenco had a bye and only fought twice.

“I think if I saw him again, I could beat him,” said Forde, adding with a chuckle: “Not having fought in three years, and then going into a tournament with no sparring… I wouldn’t recommend that.”

Having been in the squared circle since the age of eight, Forde said he did enjoy a return to competition. He said he made the decision to come to Canada to “make something of my life”, after doing a little too much partying and only boxing on and off.

He now runs the new gym with Zoltan Kuller, who trained him for the provincial event.

Next up is the Team B.C. pre-nations training camp in March.

“I haven’t been able to do any of my running lately,” said Forde, nursing a groin injury. “But I should be ready to go for the camp. It will be nice to have my legs back under me, be able to have my power and speed back.

“My legs were like lead (at the provincials).”

As for longterm goals, Forde isn’t willing to get ahead of himself.

“One fight at a time,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve been away for three years. We’ll just see what happens.”

For more information on Force Boxin and Fitness, visit https://www.facebook.com/forceboxingandfitness or call 250-594-0220.

— NEWS Staff