Four lakecity boxers mixed it up in front of a busy crowd at Quesnel’s Bouchie Lake Hall on Saturday, May 7, scoring big points in the eyes of their coaches.
Williams Lake Boxing Club coach Rick Albrechtsen said both he and coach Gary McLellan were impressed with the performance of their fighters — especially considering three were competing in their very first matches.
“Gary and I were both very happy with the way the night went and everybody did exceptionally well,” Rick said.
“We’re proud of everybody and really appreciating the work they’re putting in.”
Rick’s son Kurtis Albrechtsen, 13, showed no signs of nerves in his first match, knocking out his opponent, Haven Gillmaire, in the first round during a 120-pound contest.
“They both started mixing it up pretty good right off the get-go,” Rick said. “Kurtis had been working on this overhand right for the past three weeks and he landed a nice solid one and the kid went down. It was really exciting.”
Meanwhile, WLBC teammate Dylan Taylor, also 13 and competing in his first bout, lost a hard-fought split decision in a 100-pound contest with Prince George’s Spruce Capital Warrior Boxing Club’s Dillon Cruickshank.
“It was so close,” Rick said. “If they picked a best fight of the night for junior boxers it would have been this one.
“Dylan felt good about it because he really did fight a great fight. Being his first fight he did fantastic.”
In the only ladies’ bout of the evening, Williams Lake’s Laura Klasen took on Trianna Alexander from Prince George’s Shaolin Boxing Club.
“It was an exhibition match, but Laura did awesome,” Rick said. “If there was a points decision put to it hands down she would have got the decision. It was her first match, so it was really exciting.”
Finally, in what was the main event and fight of the night, Williams Lake’s Harley Mulvahill took on 2 Rivers Boxing Club’s Ray Beaulieu in a 160-pound contest.
“It was an absolutely fantastic fight,” Rick said. “When the bell went in the first round they both ran to the centre of the ring and just started shooting out like pistons and it continued for the whole fight.
“Three, three-minute rounds they just went for it. It was one of the best fights I’ve ever seen.”
In the end, Mulvahill prevailed with an extremely tightly-contested split decision.
“Harley’s so tough,” Rick said. “He’d just been through a war and he gets to the corner and he’s just smiling away. He’s like, ‘I really like fighting like that. That was fun.’
“Both these guys are friends and they were shaking hands before and after the fight, but once that bell went it was time to go. They both wanted that win but Harley came out on top.”