Skip to content

Quesnel fighter loses split decision in Kelowna

Coach says Emblau needs some new tricks to stay competitive
12747706_web1_180718-QCO-EmmetEmblau
Emmett Emblau and coach Wally Doern putting their dukes up in Two Rivers Boxing. Ronan O’Doherty photo

Emmett Emblau, 12, lost a split-decision to Connor Ferrier from Cranbrook in a 75-pound boxing bout in Kelowna on July 7.

The two pugilists threw straights, hooks and uppercuts to many cheers at the Fight for the Kids II event, which raised money for men in recovery and women and youth at risk.

The young local boxer thought the scrap could have gone either way and says he is hoping there will be a rematch at a future Rumble event at Two Rivers Boxing.

Emblau, who gives up height at his weight class, found it difficult to get the angle on his taller opponent, who was able to consistently score with the jab in the first round.

READ MORE: Quesnel boxer shows no sign of hanging up the gloves

By the time the second round got cooking, Emblau began to pick up on some patterns.

“I started figuring him out and managed to slip his left jab and come over with the overhand right a few times.”

It wasn’t enough to sway two of the judges, however, and the decision went the other way.

While Emblau is one of the most electrifying fighters on the Two River Boxing Roster, his coach Wally Doern says he needs to be learning new things.

“He’s very exciting,” Doern says, noting the promoter of the event came up to him afterwards and said the fight-of-the-night would have been awarded to the bout had there been a prize.

“[Emmett] leaves it all in the ring and is like a little windmill, but he can’t keep relying on out-punching the other fella.”

Doern says Emblau needs to learn to fake a punch and then move, stressing he must rely more on craftiness than punching ability to outsmart his opponents.

“If you meet your opponent straight on – unless you can out-punch him, you’re right in the zone, whereas if you’re always coming in at an angle, it throws them off.

“They don’t know where you’re coming from and they need to reevaluate.”

READ MORE: Young Quesnel boxers get roars from Williams Lake crowd

Some extra training before class and a dedication to improvement is the prescription for future wins.

Emblau has enough fights to his name that he is now facing fairly high-calibre opponents regularly, so the strategies he has won with against lesser foes are not going to work quite as well any more.

“He’s got to up his training, get more serious and learn new things,” says Doern.

“They’re catching on to the old tricks.”



sports@quesnelobserver.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter