Two young Quesnel boxers are taking competitions by storm once again, after attending a USA Amateur Boxing event in California at the end of October.
Britynn Carter and Emmett Emblau, both 11, fought at Grampa’s Boxing Gym’s Fight Fest in Anaheim Oct. 29.
“Hurricane” Carter and “Iron” Emmett, who both train at 2 Rivers Boxing Club in West Quesnel, fought one fight each, with Emmett losing to his 13-year-old rival and Britynn beating her opponent, 11-year-old Valerie Vargas.
“I lost, but it was a good fight,” comments Emmett.
Emmett has been boxing for some time, and said he wasn’t intimidated by the US event.
“I wasn’t scared at all, I’ve been to bigger fights. I was ready.”
Britynn, who only started boxing in spring this year, says the amateur event was the biggest fight she’s been to.
“I knew it was [Valerie’s] first fight, so I thought it might be a little easier, but she scared me at first!
“I was stunned and I didn’t know what to do for the first 20 seconds.”
Britynn found her feet though, and not only won against Valerie, but also won the accolade for Best Fight of the 27 bouts that took place. She brought home an impressive prize belt for the honour.
She says the belt has pride of place in her bedroom, and she’d recently taken it to school to show it off to her classmates.
The grade six students say they heard about the event from Ellen Connor, a boxing contact from the Sooke Boxing Club, who offered to drive the pair across the border for the fights. It took 10 days total to drive down and back.
“It was hard for my parents and me to be so far away for so long,” says Britynn, who only received her passport the day before they left.
But Emmett says he’s become accustomed to travelling for his sport.
“My mom’s used to it,” he says.
Both boxers say they are grateful to Britynn’s parents, who drove them down to the lower mainland, and Ellen Connor and her family.
With the US boxing event under their belts, Emmett and Britynn are now in training for a local fight: the 2017 B.C. Bronze Gloves Championships will be held at 2 Rivers Boxing Club Nov. 25-26.