50 years Nanaimo Boxing 1963 to 2012

NANAIMO BOXING HISTORY 1963 to 2012: by Brian Zelley

The modern history of the Nanaimo Amateur Boxing:
The modern era begins in 1963 with the formation of the
Newcastle Boxing Club by George Nepper. Other primary coaches were
Harry Pollitt and Skimp Williams. Also, Rene Nepper and the Seriani
brothers helped out along with Gardiner Smyth. Jerry Sorensen, Roger Nepper
and others helped.

The second club was the Nanaimo Boxing Club which was founded
by Brian Zelley and Dan Wright in 1971. The present coach for the
Nanaimo Boxing Club is former seventies boxer Barry Creswell.

Some of the earliest boxers in action for the club would be
Darren Lussier, Wayne Peace, Bob Pegues, Dan Wright
and Brian Zelley. Some of the trainees would be John Ormandy,
Stu Springett and various persons from Ladysmith such as
Bob Jamison. Other boxers in the early years would be
Mickey Griffin, Alan Toth, Jack Snaith, Fred Wicks and many more.
In 1974 another new one would be Barry Creswell.

In 1972 and 1973, the club would hold a number of boxing shows in
Nanaimo. And some of the novice boxers would participate in
novice tournaments such as the Bronze Gloves. Jack Snaith, who
started boxing in 1967 at Vancouver's Firefighters Boxing Club
would enter open competition and fight for a National title in 1973.

The club would host it's second club show in 1973

One of the bouts featured Brian Zelley and Clark MacLellan. Clark would
become one of the regular coaches and trained boxers such as Mickey Griffin.

Photo Parade: Nanaimo moments

Mickey Griffin and Bob Pegues

Bob Pegues would later become a full time boxing
coach in Prince George, and in 2014 he was one of eleven
selected for the British Columbia Amateur Boxing
Hall of Fame along with Nanaimo boxing great
Billy Townsend. and Victoria's Bert Wilkinson.

1954 VI Golden Boy ** Bert Wilkinson

Mickey Griffin - a popular boxer of the Nanaimo
boxing scene in the Seventies. Mickey was selected for the BCABHOF in the junior/youth category in 2013