
Audrey Edmunds and Thunder Innis gave dominant performances on their way to Alberta Silver Gloves championships in Medicine Hat on Saturday.
Both members of the Inner City Boxing PG Wardogs won their bouts by unanimous decision, Edmunds against Evelyn Custer of North Battleford, Sask., and Innis against Rannoch Derkson-Gamble of Lethbridge, Alta. A third Inner City boxer, Josh Greenwood, fought well but lost his opening match to Steven Carabali of Edmonton.
The tournament was for boxers with up to 10 fights of experience.
Edmunds, 12, entered the Silver Gloves with two exhibition bouts on her resumé. The fight against Custer was her first against an opponent the same age and in the same weight class, 54 kilograms.
“She came out hard right from Round 1,” Inner City coach Jag Seehra said of Edmunds. “She was pushing the pace, the girl just had her guard up. Audrey had her on the ropes and just unleashed combinations.”
Edmunds was so good in the first two rounds that, according to fellow Inner City coach Kenny Lally, she had Custer “like a deer in headlights.” Edmunds was a little more on the defensive in the third round, as Custer valiantly tried to get back in the match. But, in the end, it wasn’t enough, and the referee raised Edmunds’ arm in victory.
“That girl, she’s on Cloud 9 right now, which she should be,” Lally said. “She did amazing. She’s put so much work in, and for being so young.”
Innis, a 16-year-old who fights at 85kg, defeated Derkson-Gamble by using his ring smarts and his intimidating power.
“(Derkson-Gamble) came out just banging, actually,” Seehra said. “He didn’t have much technical ability but he was a strong, strong kid. He caught Thunder with a few shots in the beginning but then Thunder just found his feet and started moving around and catching the guy with his upper-cuts, with his hooks. Moving the way he does, it was a beautiful display of boxing, for sure.”
Between exhibition bouts and fights, Innis has now been inside the ring six times in his young career and has yet to be seriously challenged.
Greenwood, 17, took on Carabali in a large 60- to 65kg weight class but came up short of victory. By Lally’s estimation, the first round was close, the second round went to Carabali, and the third round was all Greenwood.
“Josh fought to the end,” Seehra said. “That’s the thing about Josh – there’s no quit.”
The Inner City coaches were hoping to line up a set match for a fourth boxer, 17-year-old Ben Ruttan. Unfortunately, there was no opponent for Ruttan, who fights at 90kg.
The Inner City boxers will be back at training this week, while their coaches find the next fights for them.
“We’re just super-proud of all the kids,” Seehra said. “This just goes to show that everything we’re doing is on the right path. They’re listening to us and they’re following the program.”