Kenny Lally won't be coming home empty-handed from the Canadian senior national championships.
Although Lally lost his bout in Ste. Hyacinthe, Que., to national team member Joey Laviolette of Nova Scotia, ending a 15-bout win streak, Thursday's 54-kilogram fight was enough to guarantee a bronze medal for the 20-year-old Inner City Boxing Club member.
"The good news is bronze is the only colour Kenny didn't have, its the first fight he's ever lost at nationals," said Inner City coach Bob Pegues.
Lally was especially disappointed in the outcome, knowing it likely cost him a shot at making the Canada's team for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India in October. Lally will battle for a B-team spot at the final team selections in Halifax in February.
Laviolette has agreed to face Lally in the main event at the Emerald Gloves set for the Northern Sport Centre on March 13.
"It was a good fight, my plan was to go for it and keep the pressure on and it was back and forth the whole fight," said Lally. "It kind of sucks, but I'll get my rematch in town. I'll get my revenge."
The day also ended in disappointment for Thomas Speirs of the Spruce Capital Warriors Boxing Club. The fists of Cedric Langlois of Quebec City got Speirs in trouble and that brought three standing eight-counts to the B.C. provincial 75kg champion from Prince George in the third round. Speirs, who fights for the Spruce Capital Warriors club, absorbed a barrage of punches and the fight was stopped by the referee with 40 seconds left in the round.
"Thomas started out looking very good and it looked like he was on his way to winning the fight, but he got tired in the third round and got hit with a couple shots and got three eight-counts and the referee stopped it," said Spruce Capital coach Wayne Sponagle.
"He fought a very tough kid, a very hard puncher. Thomas's biggest drawback was that calibre of boxing for him. His skill level and everything was there except the conditioning to fight at that high level.
"No shame on Thomas, he never got hurt once and every time he got hit he fired back Halfway through the third round he got tired."
Speirs opened Wednesday with a 9-7 win over Ryan Walkowski of Manitoba. Marcus Hume of Spruce Capital lost his only national bout Wednesday to Shawn Alphonso of Newfoundland. Jag Seehra of Inner City was eliminated in the opening round Wednesday with a loss to Cam O'Connell of Alberta.
