It was a showcase and a tune-up. It proved to be a success on both fronts.
The North Burnaby Boxing Club (NBBC) participated in the Hollyburn Boxing Gala last week, and returned from West Vancouver with a handful of wins and the confidence that comes from putting their best punch forward.
In just his third fight, Filippos Liappas showed that he’s ready for bigger and better things after edging Contenders Club’s Johnie Quigaman in a junior welterweight split decision.
“It was very close, but (Liappas) came out of it very well,” remarked NBBC coach Manny Sobral. “Just knowing he went three solid rounds and didn’t get flustered. He’s more of a brawler and (Quigaman) is more a standup boxer. … (Liappas) kept coming and getting inside and worked hard. He was very exhausted afterwards.”
It improved the 19-year-old’s record to 3-0.
“He’s got a lot of ability, and he’s a very good puncher. Fil is very determined and he has no quit. When it got tough, he got tougher.”
Another North Burnaby fighter, Nathan Dizon, outlasted Beyond Boxing’s Vincent Ma in a unanimous decision in a youth junior welterweight match.
It was Dizon’s first win, but one Sobral envisions will be repeated numerous times in the future.
“He was jumping up and down even two hours after his match,” said Sobral.
“For me, that was a big highlight. Nathan was just so happy, and he has so much energy that it’s contagious.”
In the other matchup, North Burnaby’s Charly Dawson and Cody Lam duked it out in a three-round lightweight exhibition. The two, who spar as training partners, put on a show in preparation for next month’s Silver Gloves.
