A group of Calgary fighters are grateful to be able to enter the ring in a properly sanctioned event this weekend after the organization they were training under was suspended by Boxing Alberta for two years due to security issues.

Calgary’s Southpaw Family Fitness & Boxing Gym is now mobilizing to host several newbie fighters Saturday night following the last-minute cancellation of a Nov. 24 event hosted by Ultra White Collar Boxing.

Boxing Alberta confirmed to CTV News that it cited several safety concerns and suspended Ultra White Collar Boxing, but that the organization was still trying to sell tickets for its planned event at the Deerfoot Inn & Casino.

The news comes just a week after the tragic death of an MMA fighter at an Ultra MMA event held in the Enoch Cree First Nation.

“We had learned that at one of their previous Boxing Alberta sanctioned shows, they had not followed the rules set out by Boxing Alberta and this put the health and safety of our athletes at risk,” reads the statement. the press release from the president of Boxing Alberta, Jessica Sparrow. .

“Boxing Alberta initially agreed to a sanction in Calgary for November 24, but that sanction was revoked as part of its suspension on October 29.”

Despite his suspension by Boxing Alberta, Ultra still informed his fighters in an email of a last-minute change of venue for his event at Rajveer Banquet Hall.

The event was then canceled just hours before the scheduled date.

The Calgary Combat Sports Commission (CCSC) noted that there was a later attempt to rebrand the Ultra event as a kickboxing card, under the authority of WAKO Canada. The commission challenged this effort and WAKO voluntarily withdrew its sanction.

“The commission is aware of allegations that Ultra Boxing attempted to stage the scheduled fights in Calgary anyway, without oversight from any combat sports regulator,” said CCSC Executive Director TJ Madigan .

“Unsanctioned, clandestine or illegal combat sports events are very dangerous. The commission takes these situations extremely seriously and is currently reviewing available information before determining next steps.”

CTV News has contacted Ultra Events Canada multiple times and has yet to receive a response explaining why the company was still trying to sell tickets to its event and why its fighters were not informed of the event’s cancellation only at the very last minute.

‘They didn’t do their homework’: Calgary fighter

A Calgary boxer, who was scheduled to fight on Nov. 24, said the organization lied to him about what was happening.

“They knew full well that no appropriate sanctions were in place. Ultra staff had known for weeks exactly what was happening. Their claim that they cared about their fighters has definitely been proven false,” said Ben Emino.

Emino originally fought at an Ultra Boxing event in June that he said went “without a hitch,” but he noted irregularities when it came to prioritizing fighter safety.

“From what I understand, one of the doctors who attended these fights did not have the necessary qualifications and was actually a psychologist.

“Ultra didn’t do his homework.”

Emino said the organization is ignoring the problem, hoping it will go away, but he is glad he was able to get in touch with CCSC.

“I’m very grateful to our coaches at Amplified Athletics who also recognized this and that we can still fight at another event because these people really want to make sure you get home to your family safely. “

Even after the event was canceled, Emino was shocked to find that tickets were still on sale and he had not yet been refunded. His colleagues had purchased a table for the event, costing $1,200.

“My understanding is that they are starting to give people back what they paid for the events, but many of us still haven’t received our booking fees. It seems like the only goal they had was to have a payday.”

“I could have lost my boxing career”

Fighters training in Ultra White Collar Boxing, like Dylan Siemens, were surprised to learn that they themselves could have been suspended if the November 24 event had taken place.

“We did some research for all of us members who were under this fight card and we found out from Boxing Alberta that not only could it last longer than 60 days, but it could also be a two year ban, up to a lifetime ban,” he said.

“I could have lost my boxing career if I had not discovered this information. It is a personal dream of mine to pursue boxing and as I am 29 years old, I don’t have much time to do so. to reach, so it would have cost me a lot.”

Jared Velasquez, boxing coach and owner of Amplified Athletics, was training more than 40 fighters for the Ultra event.

He notes that mistakes were made during this event and that it could never have taken place without the appropriate sanctions.

“That unfortunately put us in a position where I wasn’t able to draw a corner, and so we were looking for options,” Velasquez said.

“I know the guys are very frustrated with what they feel is a lack of clarity and communication, but it puts us in this position right now where the sanctions don’t seem to be being enforced, and that has put Ultra in a difficult situation. a position to end this event.

Velasquez added that he was fortunately compensated by Ultra for the several weeks of training he organized for his athletes, but ultimately their safety was his top priority.

“It is of the utmost importance for us to be able to have confidence and reliability in the sanctioning bodies and commissions who will ultimately look after athletes, especially athletes who have no prior experience.

“It goes a long way to have confidence in a sanctioning body and to know that there is assurance behind you no matter what happens.”

When it comes to fighter safety, Alberta Sport and Tourism Minister Joseph Schow says his team is aware of the concerns and is ensuring such events are properly sanctioned alongside its partner organizations.

“We continue to collaborate with municipalities and municipal combat sports commissions to provide support and share best practices to improve the safety of all athletes,” Schow said in a statement to CTV News.

Southpaw Gym mobilizes to host Ultra boxer fights

Ultra Boxing fighters won’t need to hang up their gloves due to the unsanctioned event being canceled thanks to the efforts of a Calgary gym.

Warren Grenier, general manager of Southpaw Family Fitness & Boxing Gym, helped organize a properly sanctioned event on Saturday for Calgary fighters who initially lost out on the opportunity with Ultra White Collar Boxing.

The event will take place at Simon House Calgary with the bell ringing at 5 p.m. for the first fight card.

“I’m a huge advocate for making sure that people, if they’re training for these programs, are taking advantage of what they’ve spent all this time doing,” Grenier said.

“So Southpaw joined with many other gyms and offered athletes the opportunity to compete next weekend, Saturday night here in what we call Chump-to-Champ. A very similar concept or idea, but it is much safer. It is run by coaches specializing in boxing. »

This means fighters like Emino and Siemens will now be able to safely enter the ring at a properly sanctioned Boxing Alberta event.

“Safety is the first thing we’re all here for, it’s a combat sport so that’s our biggest concern. It’s the first thing we talk about with our athletes and if you don’t take care of “Many things may have happened to them during their careers,” Grenier said.

“We’ve now added a number of these guys from that show just to make sure they’re able to compete. They probably have close to 15 fights total, so it’s going to be a really fun night.”

Tickets can be purchased at the door and funds will be raised for a local church.

Anyone who shows up with $75 and a brand new basketball, soccer ball or soccer ball can come sit at a table and watch the event.