Kaiden Witso wants to bob and weave his way around the world.
After witnessing a boxing match at the Roll-A-Dome last winter, the 13-year-old told his dad Kristian, a former Prince George boxer, that he belonged in the ring.
"Just seeing everyone fight, I just thought that I could be really good," said Kaiden. "I'm built like a boxer, my dad is always saying. I thought that if I became a boxer I could go far with it and get really good at it and travel around. That's what I want to do."
On Saturday, 'Baby Witso' as Kaiden has been affectionately nicknamed, will step into the ring for a second time at the Summer Boxing Classic in Kelowna. Kaiden will go up against Surrey's Jaskerat Singh.
After his son told him to "just throw me in the ring," Kristian contacted his old boxing coach Bob Pegues. Not long after that Kaiden was training and being coached by Canadian champion Kenny Lally and former Canadian B team member Jag Seehra at the Inner City Boxing Club. After only a few months, Kaiden made his boxing debut last May at the Night of Champions where he used his smarts to score a unanimous decision in the three-round rookie fight over 15-year-old Connor Ogilvie of Salmon Arm.
"I was really excited to go into it," said Kaiden. "I saw that the other guy was really nervous when we walked by him. Once we were in the ring it was just hitting him and him hitting me. It was really awesome."
Before boxing, Kaiden, a Prince George secondary student, kept in shape playing lacrosse and football.
Kristian said he was impressed with how his son used his technical skills in the ring rather than trying to overpower his opponent, in contrast to his own style.
"After his first fight I was simply amazed, it looked nothing like how when I was boxing," he said. "In his first bout he looked like a boxer and he was throwing combinations, it was really good to see."
Kristian, a graduate of Duchess Park secondary school, was about 19 when he decided that taking out his aggressions in the boxing ring was probably more productive than doing it on the street.
"After getting into boxing it changed it me because I wasn't out looking for fights, I was in a ring and it was all sanctioned," said Kristian.
Pegues said that if Kristian had come to him when he was 14, instead of waiting until he was in his twenties, he could've been a world champion. The longtime boxing coach added that Kaiden has similar qualities.
"Like his father, he is fearless and hits like a tank even at 13," said Pegues. "He is calm aand very athletic. With proper coaching and development he will go far."
Kristian's boxing career lasted about two years, from 1999 to 2001, and he had 13 bouts, nine of them won by technical knockout.
"For me what happened was just a change of priorities, instead of going out of town and fighting I started a family," said Kristian. "It was right when [Kaiden] was a baby when I was boxing."
Father and son would often strap on the hand pads at home and spar with each other and Kristian would give his son pointers on when to take a jab, how to throw with his weight and react to his opponent as well as giving him tips on the mental aspects of boxing. Since Kaiden started boxing, Kristian said he's gone to the gym with him a few times and is considering stepping back into the ring.
"I'd definitely like to train with the boy here and get him to the next calibre," said the 36-year-old. "I think he definitely has potential if he stays with it and keeps good company. He's dedicated for it. I think he can definitely make a Canadian champion."
Kaiden credits his dad with inspiring him and pushing him to be the best.
"My dad is always telling me what to do and just keeping my confidence built up, telling me I'm doing great in every sport that I've done," he said.
* Jag Seehra is also on Saturday's card for the Classic in Kelowna where he'll take on Alberta's Eric Taylor in the 60-kilogram class.
