Pegasus boxers hosting Greenwood Card

By Lawrence Powell

The Spectator

NovaNewsNow.com

Pegasus Amateur Boxing Club of Middleton will be hosting a boxing card on May 31 at the Greenwood Community Centre at 7 p.m.

Head coach Bruce Harkness promised an exciting evening of amateur boxing.

The event follows a busy season in which Harkness was selected team manager/coach of Nova Scotia’s National Cadet and Junior team, which traveled to Windsor, Ontario January 24 to 27 for the National Championships.

“We had an excellent showing in Ontario,” said Harkness. “We sent 15 athletes, three coaches, and a team manager and came home with five gold, four silver, and four broze. This accomplishment is really phenomenal, especially competing with the likes of Ontario, Quebec, BC, and Alberta who send much larger teams and usually much more experienced boxers, especially Ontario and Quebec with the close proximity to the United States for competitions.”

Harkness said local bozers Cyrus Taylor and Beth Muir have been very busy this competition year and will remain so until at least the end of June. Muir has won four in a row and is well on her way to her goal to box at the Senior Nationals in early 2009.

Taylor has been busy training with the 2011 Canada Winter Games core team and has been named Team Captain by his peers.

“Cyrus is coming off an excellent moral-boosting bout with Steven Bates from Albion Boxing Club in Trenton, Pictou County,” said Harkness. “Cyrus lost to this guy twice, both very close decisions, but we beat Bates decisively last Saturday night in Yarmouth. I’m very pleased with Cyrus’s performance and work ethic over the past several months. He’s developing into one of the province’s elite boxers.”

At the May 31 card in Greenwood, Harkness is hoping other club members will get a shot at some competition.

“Other Pegasus boxers I would like to see on our card in Greenwood, but are not confirmed yet, are: Cody Lowe (Bridgetown), Adam Gavel (Bridgetown), Chad Durling (Lawrencetown, Cameron Chisholm (Middleton), and Cameron MacCulloch (Middleton).”

Harkness said the progress and success of the Pegasus Club wouldn’t be possible without his other coaches – Wayne Balcom of Brickton and Dave Muir of Greenwood.

“Without these two gentlemen, the club would not operate,” Harkness said. “Like all sports, without volunteers who sacrifice their free time for the kids in the community, these programs would not work.”

Pegasus has also been helped by local Middleton businesses including Anne Crowell’s Message Therapy, Lola’s Touch of Beauty, Mid Valley Motel, Kinsmen Club. Rotary Club, Fitness Experience, Nova Millwrights, Wood’s Excavating, AW Allen Building Supplies, and Cash and Carry.