THE BRIAN ZELLEY BOXING STORY

BRIAN ZELLEY - 1972 - NANAIMO, BC

BRIAN ZELLEY, A BOXING STORY 1963 to 2011

As I look back throughout the decades, I still remember some of those

early years and my own boxing journey.  But,  it is not only my story

but the story of the many persons that I came into contact through

the sport of amateur boxing.

The official beginning came in 1963 in Nanaimo, BC, but my first

unofficial bout took place  before at a Sea Cadet camp in Comox, BC

 when I had an opportunity to box a sea cadet from Alberta.

NEWCASTLE BOXING CLUB (1963 to 1967)

My first boxing club was the Newcastle 

Boxing Club in Nanaimo, BC

(Nanaimo Daily Free Press photo - 1964)

Following a fight card in Victoria, B.C

hosted by the London Boxing Club.

Host coach - Harry Morris.

Prior to the formation of the Newcastle Boxing Club

by GEORGE NEPPER, Mr. Nepper used to take

the Nepper brothers to Chemainus and train with

boxers such as Skimp Williams and Danny Daniels

 by 1963, George decided to form a club in Nanaimo.

The first training site was in the basement of the

Newcastle Hotel main coaches included Nepper,

Harry Pollitt, Skimp Willaims with help 

from Rene Nepper and others.

George Nepper  and boxers

Terry Lewis and Bob Lewis

VANCOUVER ISLAND CHAMPIONS

At the end of the 1963/1964 season a 

Vancouver Island Boxing Championship

took place in Victoria and included a 

number of clubs including members

of the Royal Canadian Navy under

the direction of TAYLOR GORDON.

All of the divisions  featured two boxers

except the featherweight division with

Roger Nepper, Don White and Brian Zelley

The expected victor was the older

and heavy punching White of the

Royal Canadian Navy, Esquimalt.

Through effective training with

boxer Mike Lazare and coaching 

by Skimp and Harry, and strategy planned by

Williams, and corner work by Williams and

Mike Lazare, I was able to box the heavy

hitting Navy battler and win the decison

to face Roger Nepper who was a good 

technical boxer with fast hands and

a good left jab.  Therefore,  it was

a case of adjusting strategy to face

Roger for the Island title 

of featherweight champion.

The strategy used was to attack with two-fisted 

body punches in the first round   This strategy 

not only won the title, but resulted in a 

special award as the 

MOST AGGRESSIVE BOXER

considering there were many excellent 

boxers and punchers in that tournament

such as Fred Desrosiers, Tommy Black,

Wayne Powell, Mike Caird and Rifleman Walsh

it was a big deal to win that special award.

BRIAN ZELLEY - MOST AGGRESSIVE 

Special Award

1964 Vancouver Island Championships

THE SECRET WEAPON

it was no accident that I outboxed the

puncher and out-punched the boxer in that

tournament.  It was a result of days of training

with Mike Lazare on defensive skills and 

counter punching including body punching and

moving inside and avoiding the heavy hitters with

footwork, movement, defensive skills and an effective jab. 

Mike Lazare went on to win two back-to-back

provincial  tournaments 

Post 1964 - Due to the Navy and Army boxers

not competing there would be no further 

Vancouver Island Golden Gloves  or

Championships until the Seventies.

However, there were plenty of 

club shows and provincial tournaments.

For Vancouver Island between 1965 and 1967

the club shows took place in Victoria 

and Port Alberni, but that would

all change in the Seventies.

1964/1965 A NEW DAY 

For 1964/65 season it would be a new location

for the training facilities, with some new faces

including boxer Ken Stant and another coach

by the name of Gerry Sorensen and a brief

time period training with MARIJAN KOLAR

who would win a bronze medal in 

an International Boxing Tournament.

Two of my key opponents would be

BOB KACER and BARRY LOWE. 

1965/1966 -  A Year To Remember

This would be the year to step-up and

face two capable boxers by the names of

JIMMY MACMILLAN and DEL DEUGAU

Jimmy was an excellent boxer and a Canadian 

champion and Del was a capable boxer that

would be a 1967 Seattle Golden Gloves champion.

The bout with DEUGAU was interesting. It 

took place in Port Alberni and included a

cross-section of boxers from Victoria,

Nanaimo, Port Alberni and the 

Vancouver Firefighters of which 

Deugau was a member and Bert Lowes

and Pat West were the two key coaches.

Brian Zelley training for the Del Deugau bout

 in Port Alberni - 1966 

Three key boxers that helped me were

Ken Stant, Gilles and Roger Nepper.

But, when I watched a prelim bout

with Victoria's Lou Bujdoso, I decided

on my opening strategy that would be

the key to victory and the award for

the BEST FIGHTER, but without the

hard work preparing with Roger, Gilles

and Ken there would be no need for 

strategy, as it was the defensive skills,

and movement that won the day and that

was done in the boxing school house 

better known as the gym. 

OBSERVATION 1966 BC GOLDEN GLOVES

Part of the learning experience is also watching

a tope open class tournament without having to

spend time in a dressing room getting ready.

So, Nanaimo boxer Murray Glover and Brian

decided to take in the 1966 Golden Gloves action

 I  watching the parrying skills of boxer

 MIKE SARTORI.

(year later I would join Mike as a coach

with the Victoria Jaycees Boxing Club in Victoria.)

1967 THE CENTENNIAL YEAR

Aside from club shows or exhibitions the

real deal in 1967 were two tournaments.

1967 Centennial Golden Gloves and 

1967 International Centennial 

Diamond Belt championships.

Brian Zelley - 1967 Centennial Action

Golden Gloves and Diamond Belt

Nanaimo's Newcastle Boxing Club.

1967 Centenniual Golden Gloves

i had three bouts against 

Vern Fouth, Steve Flajole and Wayne Boyce.

1967 International Centennial

Diamond Belt Championships

In prelim action I defeated Brian Gray and in the

semi-finals it was a win over Ted Webb of Oregon.

1967/1968 THE OLYMPIC YEAR

A year of living dangerously on

a merry-go-round and a roller coaster

Nanaimo Boxer 1963 to 1968

These are the names that I remember

Chris Balatti, Ted "Spider" Balatti,

Ken Barker, Wayne Barnes, Kelly Barrows,

Gerry Budzinski, Joe Buxton, Murray Glover,

Tony James, Rick Johnson, Bob Lewis, Terry Lewis,

Mike Lazare, Keith McPherson, 

Ken Maughan, Giles Nepper, Jules Nepper, Leon Nepper,

Roger Nepper, Al Ranger, Leo Rock, Ken Stant, Gene Tait,

Rick Tait, Alan Windecker and Brian Zelley

Also, training with us for awhile was Marijon Koler

In September 1967, I moved to Vancouver

to join the Vancouver Firefighters.

I had faced two of the Firefighters; in 1966

Jimmy MacMillan and Del Deugau

and had fought on many club shows from

Victoria to Port Alberni where some 

excellent Vancouver boxers had fought such as

Dave Wylie and Kalman Santosi  so I knew it

would be an important and rewarding experience.

Some of the boxers at the club were Wylie, 

Frank Scott, Larry Sinitsin, Eddie Ostapovich,

Freddy Fuller, Nicky MacDonald, and young

ones like Alf Cool,  Jack Snaith, John Gamble and Gordie Lawson

but nobody could guess what a wild ride it would be

for boxers from North Vancouver, Hastings, Astoria,

Langley and East Vancouver Optimists and the Firefighters

Brian Zelley and Ray Lampkin

Wayne Boyce and Frank Scott

(Ray turned pro and faced Roberto Duran

in a lightweight title fight in Panama)

Brian Zelley vs Neil Knight

All Star Boxing Card, Seattle 1968

Fraser Scott, Fred Fuller and Neil Knight

had earlier won the 1968 Seattle Golden Gloves.

(Fraser turned pro and faced middleweight 

champion Nino Benvenuti in a title fight in Italy)

THE END OF 1967/1968

(action December 1967 to May 1/68)

When all is said and done  in this six month time period, 

I had about 15 fights in

club shows and five tournaments, but it all

boiled down to four boxers at the top of their game

Ray Lampkin,  Frank Scott, Wayne Boyce, Neil Knight.

One of the important tournaments was the 

1968 Seattle Golden Gloves/ Northwest AAU Championships

(a correction on one name - GLENN MCGEE)

nineteen of us BC boxers made that trip, each one form Billy Taylor

to Wayne Boyce have their own story, but at the end of that

tournament was over Freddy Fuller made the AAU Championships

but Dick Findlay would make the 1968 Olympic team along

with Donato Paduano and Walter Henry.

BEYOND 1968

Beyond the Sixties there would be more fights, coaching and 

officiating and various positions, but likely the first official 

role in coaching was assisting Bert Lowes in the corner for 

a bout that young JOHN GAMBLE won in Seattle.

Also, it was great helping the likes of 

Gordie Lawson and Dan Wright

Alf Cool and Jack Snaith.

This would be the opening round of joining

Dan Wright to revive boxing in Nanaimo

with the formation of the 

Nanaimo Boxing Club 

Gord was just a young one in September 1967

but he learned a few lessons from the many

open senior boxers in the gym.

NANAIMO BOXING CLUB

founded in 1971

 by Dan Wright and Brian Zelley

assisted by George Nepper and John Ormandy.

Those early years were very interesting.

Some of the early boxers were

Dan Wright,  Brian Zelley,  Jack Snaith,

Darren Lussier,  Wayne Peace and Bob Pegues.

Many others would follow such as

 Mickey Griffin, Barry Creswell and Kevin Maughan.

Manny made me a complete fighter in 1972

when I learned how to move by inches 

instead of feet or yards.

(note one of his great wins was in a

non-title fight with Emile Griffith

in the mid-Sixties)

Now in 2011, who would of guessed that the 

club would be recognizing the 40th. Anniversary

and as of September 2011 it starts year 41.

(Note there is more detailed history of 

the Nanaimo Boxing Club through 

the decades, so no detail will be

covered in this story)

1974 Boxing Revival in Victoria, BC

Ian Weir - Mike Caird - Brian Zelley

Three others involved in the revival were

Gordie McGaw, Larry Montgomery and Dan Wright.

Also, Island Commissioner appointd by

BCABA president Walter Boyce was Howard Curling.

1976 An End and a New Beginning

1976 - Certificates received by

Mike Caird - Brian Zelley and Howard Curling

It was the end of the beginning of a revival in Victoria and

the prelude for greater events on Vancouver Island in the Eighties.

Round Two

August 1976, the formation of the VAA

Boxing coaches:  

Mike Caird, Brian Zelley, Lou Bujdoso

VAA - FOUNDING DIRECTORS

The VAA would sponsor numerous sports teams

and boxing

COACHES CORNER 1975

Brian Zelley coaching Danny O'Sullivan

preparing him for his first tournament

focus on stance, form and footwork

Getting the hands and feet working together

Brian Zelley and two boxers shadow boxing

and make believe sparring working on form

 and basic moves but studying the opponent 

Victoria, BC in the mid- Seventies

VICTORIA JAYCEES BOXING CLUB

in the late Seventies, Lou Bujdoso left the

Victoria Athletic Association 

to form the Victoria Jaycees

Although I would still be a director

of the VAA until the end of the

1980/1981 fiscal year, I joined

Lou to help with the coaching of

all the new novice trainees.  I 

would do this until 1985 and the last 

official boxer that I trained was to

prepare him for the 1985

BC DIAMOND BELT TOURNAMENT

that took place in Victoria.

It was apleasure working to

get RON OGDEN ready fir his

Victory.

RING OFFICIAL

In 1980, I indicated to Bert Lowes that I would

like to start officiating and began judging under

the direction of Rick Brough and Bert Lowes.

I was selected to be one of the officials at the

1983 BC Winter Games in Revelstoke

and

1984 BC Winter Games in Fort St. John

i also officiated in numerous club shows on the

Island and one of the Nanaimo Bathtub

Capital Golden Gloves tournaments

and the

1984 Vancouver Island Amateur Boxing 

Championships and various Provincial 

tournaments.

1984 JUNIOR NATIONALS

My role at the Nationals that took place

in Burnaby was to serve as one of the

three members of the committee

to select the Best Junior Boxer

we picked Eric Grenier with Scotty Olson

and Stewart Hilton  a close second and third.

The three  commitee members

Tommy Yule, Glynn Jones and Brian Zelley

Alan Brown, Vic Murdoch, Brian Zelley

at the Canadian 1984 Olympic Gamez

boxing team at the training centre

Burnaby, BC

THE VANCOUVER ISLAND CONNECTION

In 1979, ring official RICK BROUGH 

replaced Howard Curling as the

Vancouver Island Amateur Boxing

Commissioner.

Rick called a joint meeting of officials and coaches.

By 1983, I convinced members at a meeting to

support the Vancouver Island Amateur Boxing

News which resulted in a spring and fall 1983

issues, but then was elected to the Board of

Boxing BC as the news editor of the 

BC Amateur Boxing News and 

did copies from November 1983 to January 1986

in all of the issues, I made it a point of 

having flashbacks which covered a lot of

amateur boxing history in British Columbia.

BC WINTER GAMES - 1983 and 1984

My involvement in the BC Winter Games took  place

in 1983 and 1984 at Revelstoke and Fort St. John

1984 BC WINTER GAMES' Officials and Coaches

1985 BC WINTER GAMES

Although I did not participate in the Games in '85

as the editor of the BC AMATEUR BOXING NEWs

I did prepare a report for a coup.le of the issues in '85

REVIVAL OF THE ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

Rick, Howard and myself discussed the issue in one 

of our trips to a fight card, and at a formal meeting

with other officials and coaches it was decided

to revive the Championships 20 years  after

the 1964 tournament in Victoria.

It was agreed that Art Smith and Brian Sacho

of the Parksville - Qualicum Boxing Club

would be the host club due in part to

the central location and partly to

recognize the club for some good work

over the last few years.

VANCOUVER ISLAND

AMATEUR BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS

THE SELECT 20 from 1964 and 1984

It was a one year revival only, but there

would be other tournaments and shows.

1989 A NEW JOURNEY BEGINS

BOXING COMMITEE FORMED 1989

members in 1989 were Hassan Sunderani,

Brian Zelley,  Mike Sartori and Glynn Jones.

For 1991, I served as the interim chairman

while the Victoria Commonwealth Games

Society and Boxing Canada could select

a replacement, but in the end or in

early 1992 Hassan Sunderani agreed

to serve again after his one-year break.

I was also, able to attend the

1990 GOODWILL GAMES  in Seattle 

to observe the boxing finals.

Known as "Pud" Smith

Pud would step forward as one of the  many

volunteers that would help in some of 

the planning and preparation.

which began after the formation of 

the Boxing Committee and before the

official resurrection of the 

Greater Victoria Amateur Boxing  Association.

THE ROAD TO THE

 COMMONWEALTH  GAMES

1992 DEFENDING THE SPORT

(Times-Colonist)

NO MORE SONGS

After 1992, I was done with boxing or 

so I thought, and I am still here

for whatever comes my way.

2009 Recognizing Others

The Gathering

Brian Zelley ready to present awards to Mike Caird

2009 Greater Victoria

Sports Hall of Fame

2009 Looking Back 

2009 - Greater Victoria

Sports Hall of Fame Ceremony

Tom Turnbull,  Ian Weir,  Mike Caird,

Jason Heit,  Don Orr, Brian Zelley

More faces including

center Danny O'Sullivan, Gary Robinson,

Brian Zelley and Dan Wright.

white shirt:  Mike Caird

BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING

HALL OF FAME

.established in 2010 

A Statement of Why a BCABHOF

(as of September 2011, there have been

25 Inductees)

Rounding out the 15 of 2010 is FRANK SCOTT

.

THE TWENTY FIVE - 2010 and 2011

SPECIAL PEOPLE

Those that helped compile data on 

the 2011 Nominees

Also, thanks to Daniel "Mushroom Mac" McGarvie

for being an administrator for 2010

Daniel is a former amateur boxer and was

a member of the North West Eagles Boxing Club.

Three additional honorary directors

ALAN BROWN, JOHN PAONESSA, TOMMY BOYCE

Meeting Ali in 1972

Stepping back to 1972, it was a chance to see Ali.

It was before his bout with George Chuvalo and

he was staying at the Georgia Hotel.

Dan Wright and I took boxer Manny Gonzalez

and trainer Billy DeFoe back to the hotel and

while there, somebody gave us photos of Ali

and mentioned where he was, so Dan and I

caught the elevator to the penthouse suite

and knocked on his door, he came out into 

the hall and spoke, then he invited us in and

we talked about boxing.

On the way out of the hotel, we happened

to see Bundini Brown in the lounge, so we

stopped to say hello and show him the photos.

ZELLEY BUZZ

East Side Boxing, Zelley Buzz, My Boxing Story

FLASHBACKS - SPORTCASTER STORIES

By Brian Zelley

1974 to 1983

Part of the process of assisting in the growth of 

Amateur Boxing was to tell the 

stories as they happened.

The days and years before the

Vancouver Island Amateur Boxing News

and

British Columbia Amateur Boxing News

SAMPLE OF THE STORIES

"Ballendine In Canadian Championships"

Sportcaster, May 1981

by brian zelley

The opening line in the story said:

"Cliff Ballendine earned a spot on the

BC junior amateur boxing team to compete

in the 1981 Canadian Championships."

Some of the names included in the

full article were

Cliff Ballendine,  Greg Laboucan, Kevin Henney,

Ralph Barth, Asif Dar, Gordon Jones, Larry Adams,

Randy Galler, Alan Brown, Jerry Reddick, Marven Camel,

Gordy Racette,  Jimmy Young,  Pinklon Thomas,  

Willie Shannon and Larry Frazier. 

OTHER STORIES

One of many other stories was published 

July 2, 1980

"Six Excelled at PEI"

The opening paragraph said:

"A team of BC junior boxers, including

Alan Brown of Gold River and 

Cliff Ballendine of Victoria 

excelled  at the Canadian junior 

boxing championship at 

O'Leary, PEI, June 26 - 28.

"Seventies Boxing Birth Growth Commendable"

by brian zelley

"Sportcaster" - January 9. 1980

"Amateur boxing in Victoria started the seventies

in a decade of doubt but closes our the 1970's

with a record of growth  and achievement.

In the early years, boxing was on the ropes

with limited activity and public exposure.

In the last six years, amateur boxing in

Victoria has made a strong comeback and as

created a new wave of interest. Prior to this 

period boxing was in a rebuilding stage as a 

result of top amateur boxers in British Columbia

after the 1968 Olympics.

From 1970 to 1973 boxing was kept alive through 

the efforts of Mike Caird, Gordie McGaw and

Larry Montgomery.  At this time, the local boxers

were competing in club shows on the Island with

several boxers entering tournaments in Vancouver.

In 1974, three veteran boxers moved to Victoria to 

assist in a rebuilding program.  With the help of 

Brian Zelley, Dan Wright and Ian Weir, we 

were able to expand the boxing program.

The first boxer to receive National attention 

under this new plan was Wayne Crowe who 

was a silver medalist in the 1974 Canadian

Amateur Boxing Championships,

In 1975, the boxing program received a boost

when the London Boxing Club helped  with

financial assistance to aid in increased travelling

to tournaments on the mainland.  On June 6, 1976

the club hosted and English schoolboy vs BC juniors 

Tournament at the Quadra Recreation Centre.

On August 31, 1976  the Victoria Athletic Association

was formed...as a result Victoria boxers won

many BC tournaments.  

The top three junior boxers to emerge in the last

several years include Gary Robinson, Cliff Ballendine

and Matt Montgomery.

(details of Robinson and Ballendine victories)

Boxing in Victoria expanded in 1978 when 

Lou Bujdoso, a former coach with the 

VAA received support from the Victoria Jaycees

to form a club in the Lakehill area.

The combined boxing programs in Victoria

join together  in 1980 to jointly sponsor the

BC Diamond Belt Championships.

(Note - the host club was the Victoria Jaycees)

THE NEXT ROUND is an UNKNOWN JOURNEY

THE NEXT ROUND - LONDON BOXING CLUB

had the recent opportunity to sponsor the

1974/75 London Boxing Club SOCCER TEAM

for their induction into the 

Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame

One of the persons sitting at our table was former

Victoria boxer Tom Turnbull.  Tom is prsently still a teacher.

LONDON BOXING CLUB - 1974/75 soccer team

Induction into 

Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame - 2011

VANCOUVER ISLAND BOXING

Fifties to Seventies Highlights

NEW PROJECTS

^THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMATEUR BOXING

Recently started a story on the golden age of 

amateur boxing in British Columbia 

(1939 to 1968)

NEW PROJECT - MARCH 2012

*BEYOND THE GOLDEN YEARS,

THE ROAD TO GLORY

1969 to 1984

This is about the beginning that started

with the formation of Boxing Canada

and it winds through the many years

from the new beginning to Olympic Glory

THE LAST FIGHT - 1973

Brian Zelley vs Clark MacLellan

The final bell and the post fight

photos tell the end of the story

but the opening round strategy 

began in 1972

Brian Zelley wins bout in 1973

(post fight photo: Zelley  vs MacLellan)

*part of the story is told when discussing

boxer Manuel (Manny) Gonzalez

REMEMBERING HARRY POLLITT

Harry fought some pro fights but his name

was spelled incorrectly in the Box Rec site

which lists some of his bouts with the name

Harry Pollett

Harry's first listed pro fight was a victory 

over Johnny Woods in November 1925.

BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING

HALL OF FAME

(2012 update)

BEYOND 2012

Presently working on the 2013 nomination process for the BVABHOF.

Also, was involved in the start of the

ONTARIO AMATEUR BOXING HALL OF FAME

Also, started a First Nations and Metis Boxing  site

and also trying to form a 

CANADIAN AMATEUR BOXING

HISTORY and WALL of FAME

for 2013

There is some progress with various committees 

from The Maritimes to British Columbia

This is not going to be an easy ride or journey

Too many passed outstanding and excellent

boxers, officials and coaches

but there must be a beginning

and who knows how far we can all travel.

BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN:

No matter how far we travel, we need to take it back to where it all began,

and I try to document it in another story with additional detail.
http://briansboxingbuzz.blogspot.ca/

Sample of BCABHOF

Canadian Boxing Wall of Fame

Canadian Amateur BoxingHall of Fame

Others were added in 2014

Relevant videos

a video

    

                                                                                                                       

BC Amateur Boxing

Hall of FameVideos by Brian Zelley

2014

2013

 

2012

2011

2011

2015 Moments

?

2016 and 2017 

Flashbacks 2010 to 2017

2017 Club inductee The Firefighters

2016 Inductees 

NEWS

 2017

Brian Zelley, Bob Decker, Clarke McLellan,

Dave Wylie and Wayne Boyce

nominated for 2018

BC Amateur Boxing Hall of Fame.

More Videos

"Roll of the dice"

Nanaimo Boxing - The Eventies

Vancouver Island 

Amateur Boxing

Links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BC_Golden_Gloves

https://zelleyonboxing.ca

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BC_Golden_Gloves

https://bcboxinghallofame.blogspot.ca

BC Boxing Hall of Fame

Freddy Stephen Fuller

January 2018 Update: Inductee of BCABHOF Pleased to be one of eight inew inductees into the BC Amateur Boxng Hall of Fame. The select eight authorized by Al Cool and Mehran Hotstuff are

 Barry Krangle, Bob Decker,  Brian Zelley, Clake McLellan, Dav Wylie, Rudy Bianco, WayneBoyce and the 2 Rivers Boxing Club as approvedby Alf. Cool and Mehran Hotstuff.

Brian Zelley

2018 Inductee

British Columbia Amateur Boxing 

Hall of Fame.

Brian Zelley and Clarke McLellan

** two inductees for 2015 in 1973 **

Dave Wylie

Inductee 2018

Bob Decker, builder

Inductee BCABHOF 2018

Barry Krangle, builder

BCABHOF Inductee 2018