Ontario Boxing Association Athletes on the Rise: Five Amateurs with Bright Futures in the Game
By: GM Ross
In no particular order, here are five OBA fighters we might see on the professional circuit in the not too distant future. Each participated in the Ontario Boxing Association Provincial Championships last month in Sarnia, earning medals for their respective clubs.
Kyle Kearney (Primetime Boxing, Oakville)
Kyle showed incredible hand speed and body work in his opening contest of the OBA provincial championships, earning a unanimous decision. In the main event of the tournament, Kyle pushed the pace against Shawn Murray of Kitchener, earning the light heavyweight gold medal and the tournament’s ‘Best Boxer’ award. “With every fight you learn something new. But Provincials was exceptionally good for me, because I fought against styles that I’ve never dealt with,” Kearny told The Boxing Examiner. “I feel as though I learned a lot from the experience.”
As OBA champion, Kearney is eager to take his career to the next level. “My future goals in boxing are simple. I want to be one of the best Canada has to offer! Boxing seems to be in a shaken state due to the rise of MMA, but I want to stay true to the sport and show just how graceful and artful it is.” If he fights like he did in Sarnia, Mr. Kearney will have no trouble convincing the Canadian public of boxing’s “graceful and artful” nature.
Before wrapping up our interview, Kearney wanted to take a moment to thank all those who’ve supported him. “I want to say that I was blessed with a great family who supports me 100%. My father Tom Kearney is beside me every step of the journey. My coach Mr. Greg post is constantly improving me as a fighter. It’s hard to do this by yourself, but I was given these great people and gifts by Jesus Christ, our lord and savior.
Shawn Murray (Density Boxing, Kitchener)
Light heavyweight Shawn ‘The Flurry’ Murray fought a clever bout with Kyle Kearney, trying to counter the speedy Oakville fighter by leaning on the ropes and firing punches as Kearney mounted offense. Despite a losing effort, Murray displayed impressive power and great composure, giving him plenty of potential as a future pro. “I have been really working the different dimensions of my boxing game,” Murray told TBE. “I don’t want to be one dimensional in the ring.”
According to Murray, he intends to learn as much as he can in amateur boxing before making the jump to the punch-for-pay ranks in the not too distant future. “To me, the amateurs is a testing ground, where I get to perfect my skills before I make the jump to the pros.” Hopefully we’ll see Shawn in the professional ranks before the end of 2012!
Jay Thibeault (Boomerz Boxing, London)
Welterweight Jay Thibeault is an all action, crash and bang fighter. He’s one of those boxers you expect fireworks from each and every time he steps in the ring. Jay took the gold medal in the novice welterweight division via first round knockout. Despite taking the gold, Thibeault was hungry for more action and agreed to fight sub-novice champion Kai Johnson of Destiny Boxing on Sunday, in a non-title bout (Johnson entered novice during the tournament). Both fighters looked great, with Thibeault pressuring Kai from the outset. The latter fired back with some well-timed counter punching, looking incredibly comfortable for a relatively green fighter. The judges rendered a unanimous decision in favor of Thibeault, though Kai was in the fight the whole way. Both men received a large, well-deserved ovation from the crowd.
“Provincials was a great experience for me, in the sense that I got to compete with the best and truly find my place in this sport,” Jay explained to TBE. “As a twin, I come from a very competitive background and my greatest competition is my other half, Lee Thibeault.” It’s this brotherly rivalry that Jay believes will make him a successful professional. “I can see myself in the professional ring and excelling in this sport because Lee and I will always push each other to be the best and take ourselves to new levels of training, conditioning and fighting.”
To Jay, pugilism is as much a competition with one’s self, as a fight with the man across the ring. “I have a lot of respect for other boxers and fighters. I don’t go in the ring with hate or wanting to hurt somebody. I simply want to win. Boxing is always a test for me. I try to surpass the goals I lay out for myself every time I step into the ring. Win or lose I am usually satisfied with my performance. I always try to learn something different about boxing, about myself, and how to improve in the next fight.”
T.J. Post (Primetime Boxing, Oakville)
Fans of amateur boxing in Ontario will be very familiar with T.J. Post. T.J. is carrying on the pugilistic tradition of his brother and Canadian professional star, the late Mike “Primetime” Post (17-1-1). Unfortunately, T.J. was forced to fight gym mate Chris Black in the middleweight championship contest. Despite their friendship, both fighters put on a show for the audience, providing plenty of action and intrigue throughout.
“It was tough fighting my teammate in the finals,” explained Post, “but it was for the gold, so it had to be done. It’s just the way the draw worked out. It was like fighting a brother, I just wanted to win and not hurt him.” Post has achieved about all he can as an amateur, racking up numerous championships and accolades, and intends to turn pro in the near future. “I would like to go pro after the Golden Gloves,” TJ told TBE. Golden Gloves typically take place in the spring, so look for TJ in the Ontario pro game before the end of 2012!
Drago Lubinkovic (Destiny Boxing, Kitchener)
This aptly named heavyweight from Syd Vanderpool’s stable showed incredible patience in his two tournament bouts. Compact and muscular, this guy’s hooks packed a wallop, allowing him to win via stoppage in fight one and unanimous decision in fight two. He was in tough against hometown hopeful Tanner Tomlinson in the sub-novice heavyweight championship, but weathered a few storms, landed some beautiful left hooks and ultimately earned gold medal honours.
“I have been waiting a long time to make my amateur debut,” Drago told TBE. “Minor injuries set my first bout back a bit.” Perhaps it was this extra time in the gym that made Lubinkovic look every bit a veteran, despite making his debut at the tournament. Drago enjoyed his first provincial experience and fully intends to continue in the sport. “Boxing is becoming a way of life for me and I am committed to putting my all into it.” Getting the training he needs, however, isn’t easy for Drago. “After an eight hour shift, I drive an hour from Ancaster to Kitchener to train with Syd Vanderpool.” Despite the drive, it’s a club Drago won’t soon abandon. “I chose this gym because I love the atmosphere, the people and the coaching.”
The roots of Drago’s own style were revealed to TBE later in the interview. “A couple of my favourite fighters are Mike Tyson and James Toney,” stated Drago. “The way they would slip punches and dismantle their opponents in style is something I admire and will strive to do every time I step in the ring. With hard work and dedication I believe I can do well. I have nothing to lose, so I will take my shot at it. I am just sharpening my skills until Syd says I am ready for the pros.”
Tags:Boomerz Boxing, Density Boxing, Drago Lubinkovic, Jay Thibeault, Kyle Kearney, OBA, Ontario Boxing Association, Primetime Boxing, Shawn Murray, T.J. Post
Filed Under: Amateur News
The OBA has some very good boxers. When our guys ‘n gals enter the ring, they are there to box & defense is paramount with our clubs.
We have some very skilled coaches that serve the OBA proud.
Agreed that these young athletes show some potential, but with no fighting experience outside of the OBA (ontario) and the limited talent pool its highly unlikely they will have successful pro careers.