Stefan Melideo, Mike Caird & Chris Jones

[Zelley]

Stefan Melideo is a member of the Nanaimo Boxing Club formed in 1971.
At least three former Vancouver Island boxers have won award for
being the best junior boxer in BC - Mickey Griffin (Nanaimo),
Cliff Ballendine (Victoria) and Alan Brown (Gold River).

Chris Jones is a coach with Victoria's Capital City Boxing Club
and his election to the Executive Board of the BCABA -Boxing BC
is the first in many years somebody from Victoria
The first and likely last before Jones was Brian Zelley in 1983.

Mike Caird was an active boxer in the Fifties and early Sixties
and was a 1963 BC Golden Gloves champion and faced many of the best
BC boxers such as Harold Mann, Bill Adams, Skimp Williams and Clint Page.
Mike started coaching in 1969 and coached 2000 Olympic boxer Donnie Orr
and former Canadian champion Jason Heit as well as other amateur
boxers of note such as Wayne Crowe, Gary Robinson and Cliff ballendine.

Some others involved with Caird in coaching at various points in time were
from 1969 to 2000 were Gordie McGaw, Brian Zelley, Lou Bujdoso,
Jim Ballendine, Ian Weir and Don Orr sr. and various other helpers
and volunteers in organizing boxing shows in Victoria and helping with
travelling and out-of-town club shows and tournaments including
the Former Boards of Directors and members of the
London Boxing & Athletic Club and the Victoria Athletic Association as well as the
coaches and members of the Jaycees Boxing Club such as Mike Sartori
and Paul DeLuca Sr. Also, for a number of years, former
VAA president Ian Duddy served as the boxing manager
with assistance from Brian Turnbull.

[Zelley]

Of the various stories, it is my view that the induction of Mike Caird in November 2009 is most important not only for Mike, but for the sport itself and in some ways validates the sport in Victoria,
Vancouver Island and British Columbia.


When combined with the recent inductions of Alberta's Scotty Olson
and Sault Sainte Marie's Steve Beaupre, they are three punch knockout
punch to recognize Canadian boxing.

[Zelley]

On Facebook at the AMATEUR BOXING in British Columbia
(past, present & future), there is a Tribute Page for Caird
with some past stories and information.

At a later date the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame
will have a 8-minute video covering past history with an assortment of
old photographs of Caird, some of the boxers and others.
Some news headlines and various certificates or awards.

[Zelley]

I recently met with former boxer and coach Mike Caird to review some of
the boxing data that he has that will help in telling his story from
the mid-Fifties t the year 2000 and discussing some ot the history of
various boxing clubs on Vancouver Island such as the London Boxing Club,
Victoria Athletic Association, Nanaimo Boxing Club.

Also, discussed some of the past tournaments from the
1964 Vancouver Island Championships to the 2000 Canadian
Olympic boxing team that included Victoria's Donny Orr,
long-term champion Michael Strange, Troy Ross etc.
Of interest, some of the 2000 team boxers played boxers in
the movie "Cinderella Man" with Russell Crowe and Rene Zellweger.

The 1964 Vancouver Island championships was one of Caird's last
tournaments. In 1963, Caird was one of a few Island boxers to
win in the 1963 BC Golden Gloves. But, he lost out to army boer
Rifleman Walsh in 1964

Aside from Walsh, some of the other champions were Giles Nepper, Brian Zelley, and Tommy Black.

Some of the Victoria boxers to remember would include
Wayne Crowe, Gary Robinson, Danny O'Sullivan, Dan Wright,
Ian Weir, Matt Montgomery, Paul Panke, Cliff Ballendine,
Jason Heit, Donnie (Boy) Orr and Teresa Taylor and many more.

Of the various boxers, congratulations are due JASON HEIT for his recent promotion of an MMA card held on the Island.

[Zelley]

1974 = Ian Weir - Mike Caird - Brian Zelley

[Zelley]

Although one of the players of this thread is MIKE CAIRD, one needs to look
at the one boxer that shined the spotlight on Caird as a coach.

That boxer is CLIFF BALLENDINE of the Victoria Athletic Association.

Sorting through all of the amateur boxers from British Columbia in the Seventies
and early Eighties, one needs to shine the spotlight on
three time junior Golden Boy Cliff Ballendine.

Before yesterday, it had been a long time since I saw and talked to
Cliff about his glory days of boxing, but on Friday afternoon on a rainy day
in October in the Esquimalt region of Greater Victoria, I waited for
Ballendine to show-up for a coffee at a coffee shop. While I waited, the rain stopped
and the sky cleared and the sun shined and Cliff Ballendine arrived.

It was only to be for a brief half hour or so, but the meeting stretched
beyond an hour and half. as we talked about his moments of glory
during his amateur and pro days.

Part of the time was spent outside while the ex-boxer demonstrated
his ring skills. Despite almost 25 years away from ring activity,
he still had those fast hands, and the movement to slip jabs and
counter, and most likely to stop or KO opponents.

Despite the warm sun, there was a few moments of sadness when
he explained where his room full of trophies,awards and press
clippings were. They were lost and gone forever. So many trophies
and titles from three time BC junior Golden Boy awards, Buckskin Boy
awards, and more including his selection as the best junior boxer from
British Columbia.

Then it was time to say goodbye, and then the rains returned.

[Youngblood]

Hey Zelley. I like that you keep the canadian boxing scene, past and present in print and going. I see you on Facebook on various groups. Steve Beaupre is well-known is these parts, for his international fighting in amateurs. Is coaching now. As well, some others of note, Dominic Filane Figliomeni and the Olympic team from that era. Were a good bunch of quality boxers. I know and have met a bunch of them, and the coaches. Having a go myself at that path so is cool to see you bring up names and the stories, history.

Don't know much about the BC history, but more regarding Ontario where currently fighting and training. So is nice to learn a bit from there.