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Bate takes provincial golden gloves title

Whistler's Geoff Bate can add another title to his credits after winning the 2010 Golden Gloves Men's Novice Middle Weight Division last weekend. The final bout was a rematch against the boxer Bate beat to win the B.C. Silver Gloves in January.
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Whistler's Geoff Bate can add another title to his credits after winning the 2010 Golden Gloves Men's Novice Middle Weight Division last weekend.

The final bout was a rematch against the boxer Bate beat to win the B.C. Silver Gloves in January. Bate had the lead after the second round, then took over the third round with his body shots and jab to win the unanimous decision.

Bate now has a record of 6-1 in his first seven fights as an amateur. He has elected to keep his amateur status rather than compete in the open category. He will be promoted to the open class after his 10 th fight.

His next bout is in two weeks in Mission, a Boxing B.C.-sanctioned card.

Coach Sasha Gier, who couldn't be on hand for the fight, thanked Kevin Murray from the Pemberton Boxing Club for standing in for him in the corner and for Gabe Pryce-Jones for filling in as Bate's sparring partner.

"We spent four weeks practicing for this," said Gier. "We did a lot of technical work this time to make sure that we have a very tight style. We also did a lot of sparring in the last four weeks.

"I'm very happy. He executed his plan perfectly against a very tough opponent."

Gier is reviewing the tapes from the Golden Gloves competition to make some adjustments before Bate's next match.

Currently Bate is the only boxer Gier is training for competitions. James Wark, who was 3-0, stepped back until next September to further rehabilitate a back injury he sustained before he got into boxing. "He's back in training and conditioning, but he's not boxing yet," said Gier.

The Golden Gloves, the highest title in the province, took place at the Eagleridge Community Centre near Victoria, with former Canadian heavy weight champion George Chuvalo as the guest of honour. Chuvalo is best recognized for battling Muhammad Ali on two separate occasions, going the distance in both bouts. In his 93 professional fights he had a record of 73 wins, 18 losses and two draws and has the distinction of never being knocked down in the ring.

He was at the Golden Gloves to promote his "Fight Against Drugs" campaign after losing two sons to addiction, another son to suicide and his wife to suicide.