Four Corner’s John Pekas, pictured here in red, will represent the club this weekend in Regina. (Submitted photo/Dylin Curiston)

By Martin Martinson

Back in the ring

Four Corner Boxing returns to competition this weekend

Dec 3, 2021 | 3:00 PM

For the first time in nearly two years, Four Corner Boxing & Fitness will be back in the ring at a competition this weekend.

The first amateur boxing competition of its kind held in Saskatchewan since the pandemic began, the weekend’s event will be inter-provincial, featuring clubs from Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, meeting in Regina to unofficially signal a return to the ring in the province.

Nineteen-year-old John Pekas will represent Four Corner Boxing this weekend, competing in the lightweight division. With eight bouts already on his resume, chief operating officer and head coach of the local club, Dylin Curiston said Pekas is someone with strong potential moving forward.

“He’s one of our nationals’ hopefuls in the next year or two,” Curiston said. “We’re going to let him get a few more matches under his belt, and then we’re hopeful he’ll be in nationals either this year, or by next year, so it will be nice to see him able to get back in the ring in competition this weekend.”

After shutting down initially in March 2020, not to reopen until mid-March this year, Curiston said Four Corner is just happy to be able to return to action, and allow their athletes a place to train and compete once again.

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“COVID’s been hard on everybody with there being no real competitions or sports or extra-curricular activities [last year], and for the youth especially,” he said.

“Now that we’ve had our chance to get back, we have many returning members that are coming back in, jumping right back into training and happy to be with us, and we’ve got some new faces who have joined the club as well, so that’s been good to see.”

Making the most of their time away from classes, the local boxing organization also relocated to a new home, now operating out of a rented space in the Living Faith Chapel where they have continued to see a steady turnout.

“Usually we have about 20 people per class, and we’re offering six classes a week,” Curiston said. “Some people come to all of them and some come to one or two depending on what their goals with boxing are and whether they’re coming for fitness or competition.”

Curiston added that as the months progress, they could see more people return to/join the club as well, as some may still have been hesitant to do so this year, due to the uncertainty around COVID.

For all the latest events and news at Four Corner Boxing, visit their Facebook page.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1