Two weeks after winning his category at the Boxing B.C. Golden Gloves tournament, Whistler's Geoff Bate was also presented with the Best Bout award by a panel of judges.
Bate competes in the amateur class, but the organizing committee felt his bout was better than any in the larger and more experienced open class.
Bate steps back into the ring this Saturday in Powell River, a rematch against the only boxer he has lost to in seven sanctioned bouts. According to Sasha Gier, Bate had a four-point lead in that fight after the second round but ran out of steam and lost his lead and the match.
"This time we're changing the game plan and will be doing more boxing instead of trying to end the fight early," said Gier. "The idea is to make it a distance fight and go all three rounds, and if a knockout happens it happens. It's a very tough fighter."
Kishindo instructor third in B.C. Jiu Jitsu championship
Whistler's Cole Manson, the instructor for Whistler Kishindo Martial Arts, entered his first tournament in more than six years last weekend, placing third with one win and one loss.
Manson wasn't planning on competing, but had taken a class at a Jiu Jitsu school in Vancouver to prepare for another tournament at the end of May when he heard about the B.C. championships.
He entered the tournament in the open weight division, where bouts were a single five-minute round. Fighters were scored for takedowns and holds and could win by submission or tap out. Manson won his match in the first two minutes with a double leg takedown and an arm bar.
Roughly 10 clubs were represented at the tournament.
