Showing posts with label Kit Munro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kit Munro. Show all posts

Thursday, August 18, 2011

THE MIKE KENNEDY BOXING JOURNEY

MIKE KENNEDY a boxer's story: by brian zelley


THE FIRST ROUND: the introduction

As I LOOK BACK TO THE eighties MIKE KENNEDY was one of the
boxers of British Columbia that quickly showed he had ability and desire.

Mike joined the Victoria Jaycees boxing club founded by
 LOU BUJDOSO in the late Seventies.  Some of the one
 time coaches for the Jaycees were Bujdoso, Brian Zelley,
 Mike Sartori, Paul DeLuca and Barnes.

Aside from MIKE KENNEDY, some of the other boxers
for the Jaycees in the late Seventies to the mid Eighties
were KIT MUNRO, KIRK RANNERIS, AUGUST DOS REIS,
DEAN DELUCA, PAUL DELUCA, PAUL WADE,
RON OGDEN and many more.

ROUND 2 -  BC TOURNAMENT WIN

RING ROUND-UP:  1983 S.I.N. October 22nd.

In prelim action Victoria's Mike Kennedy earned  a victory over
MIKE PARSONS of the Prince George Spruce Capital club,
then moved into the finals with a victory of the Shamrock boxer
EDDIE LEE.

Other Victoria boxers were:
Lyle Ritchie,  Paul Wade, Ian Middleditch,  and Augusto dos Reis.

Some of the other boxers from various clubs were the likes of:
Ray Abraham, Tod Hatley, Tim Cessford, Jesse Kaellis, 
Duncan Murdoch, Tonka Young, Isaac Gock, Jason Trottier,
Terry Dermott and Kelowna's Mark Smith.

Ringside Officials:
Bert Lowes, Fred Fuller, Sid Knopp, Rudy Bianco, Larry Krangle,
Jack Mellor, Brian Zelley, Lindy Lindmoser, Bill Gurvich Allen Young
and Vic Murdoch.  Glovers:  Tommy Yule and Gordon Miller.

ROUND THREE - the Victoria Club Show

NOVEMBER 13, 1983 MIKE WINS

As reported in the December 1983 issue of the
BC Amateur Boxing News it was one of the regular
club shows hosted by the Victoria Jaycees and this one
took place at the Gordon Head Recreation Centre.

Mike Kennedy would face the capable Scott Cessford of the
Parksville-Qualicum Boxing Club operated by Smith and Sacho
in the main event.

Other Victoria boxers in action were:
Augusto dos Reis, Ian Middleditch, Scott Wood,  Lyle Ritchie,
Kirk Ranneris, Kit Munro, Paul Wade and Paul DeLuca.
Other boxers will represent Ladysmith, Parksville, Richmond
and the Queensborough boxing club of New Westminster.

Some of the other boxers were:
Tony Willis, Paul Bottomly,  Jay Grewal, Clint Dumais, 
Rick Cox, Dave and Lyle Hendrickson, Brent Lackie, 
Robert Lowe, Tim and Scott Cessford and Troy Taylor.

Officials were:
Head official:  Brian Zelley
Others:  Bob Perry, Howard Curling, Ian Weir and 
Tom Turnbull while gloving was handled by Steve Bsrnes.

It was a good afternoon for boxing and MIKE KENNEDY 
would do an excellent job in the main event with Cessford.

ROUND 4: 1984 BC GOLDEN GLOVES

KENNEDY  would be one of many that would compete in the
Senior and Intermediate Golden Gloves and would be one
of four good senior welterweight boxers.  The other three would be
GERALD PETERS, KEN SMITH and AL HARPER.

Other well known names that competed include Dale Walters,
Lee Gauthier, Willie Currie, Alex Angelomatis, Joe Pendry,
Deep Butter, Cody Redford, Peter Paskie, Lawrence Rolfe,
Roman Grimared, Glen Quocksister and many others.
Golden Boy for the tournament was MIKE O'CONNELL
of the Hastings Community Centre Boxing Club.

OFFICIALS - Bert Lowes, Fred Fuller, Rudy Bianco,
Sid Knopp, Vic Murdoch, Larry Carney, Earl Vance,
Jack Mellor, Larry Krangle, Brian Zelley, Rick Brough,
and Robert Newbrook. 


The Mike Kennedy Boxing Story:

According to Mike, his story is a work in process but below is
a sample of the cover for the story:

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Zelley's Round - Nov. 24, 1982


BOXING PLANNED FOR VICTORIA: By Brian Zelley, November 24, 1982, "Sportcaster", Victoria, BC

Determination, enthusiasm and dedication paid off for local boxers KIT MUNRO and KIRK RANNERIS when both boxers won championships at the BC Bronze Glovesfor junior novice amateur boxers at Vancouver on November 5 and 6. Munro
defeated two opponents to win the 119lb. bantamweight title and Ranneris defeated two opponents to win the 125lb, featherweight title.

For Kit and Kirk, their wins mark the first level of amateur championship boxing. Both boxers made their
amateur boxing start in the current season against more experienced opponents in a club show
hosted by their opponents boxing clubs.

Kit made his amateur start against a Vancouver opponent in Vancouver last September.
He was winning his bout when he was forced to retire due to an injury.

Kirk made his amateur boxing debut in October against a Campbell River boxer ... and lost the decision.

Despite the initial setbacks, both Munro and Ranneris showed the determination of potential champions
by returning to the Jaycees gym for more instruction and training under the direction of their coaches.
The enthusiasm and dedication paid off with both Kit and Kirk displaying improved boxing skills at the Bronze Gloves.
Both boxers will now return to the gym for more instruction to smooth out their stance and footwork, improve
their defense and sharping their punching skills for a chance to compete in more advanced competition.

Both RANNERIS and MUNRO along with other Jaycees boxers may get a chance to compete in Victoria in the
New Year. The officials of the club are presently in the feasibility stage of determining if the Jaycees c;ib
could hold regular club shows in Victoria.

Also, BERT LOWES, the BC Amateur Boxing Association director of referees and judges, has indicated
an interest in hosting a judges and referees clinic in Victoria to upgrade present officials and an attempt
to recruit and train new officials in the Victoria area.

ZELLEY'S ROUND



(Photo - ALAN BROWN - 1984).

ZELLEY's ROUND - "The Sportcaster" - November 10, 1982

The following is a piece I wrote for publication in 1982 (partial reproduction)

Nanaimo, BC is considered by many fight fans to be the fight capital of British Columbia
especially after the success of the GORDIE RACETTE - JIMMY YOUNG and RACETTE vs TREVOR BERBICK
heavyweight fights...The city also has a strong amateur boing program under the NANAIMO BOXING CLUB.
The amateur club was formed in 1971by DAN WRIGHT and BRIAN ZELLEY...The highlight of the NANAIMO club
was the success of JACK SNAITH who won the light-flyweight championship in the 1973 CANADIAN AMATEUR BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

In amateur boxing news, DAN WRIGHT who was a co-founder of the Nanaimo Boxing Club and a former
Victoria boxer is now a registered judge with BC AMATEUR BOXING ASSOCIATION.
Vancouver Island Boxing Commissioner, RICK BROUGH of Victoria has moved to Ladysmith
and is organizing an amateur boxing club.

Early results of the BC BRONZE GLOVES for junior novice boxers had Victoria's KIRK RANNERIS
winning one bout Friday night in the preliminaries...

Local boxer KIT MUNRO added a touch of class to the fifteen bout boxing card at CAMPBELL RIVER
ON October 30. Munro boxing in his second amateur bout gave an excellent performance to stop
Langley's JOHN RICHARDS midway through the second round of a bantamweight bout,,,

Kit won the first round with an educated left jab. In round two, Munro combined straight punches
and well placed body shots to stop Richards. Victoria's Kirk Ranneris put up a fine performance
but lost the decision to the more experienced MIKE WOOD of Campbell River.

Bantamweight ALAN BROWN of Gold River defeated featherweight RAY ABRAHAM ov Vancouver
in the Best Bout of the night. Brown, the 1980 Junior Canadian Champion survived several
thumping body punches to outclass the heavier Abraham. In the second best bout
Light-Middleweight ROMAN GRIMARD of Campbell River edged Richmond's LYLE HENDRIKSON
in a two-fisted battle.

The card hosted by the Campbell River Eagles Boxing Club was the first of three scheduled
by Campbell River in the current season. Officials for the club include JIM HOWIE, CHARLES JOHN,
GEORGE SHIELS and KEWAL BAINES...Clubs participating came from Campbell River, Crofton,
Langley, Parksville, Richmond, Gold River, Vancouver and Victoria.