Mickey Griffin in the middle with Bob Pegues
Nanaimo Boxing Club activity about 1975
Mickey is one of many that has
boxed in Nanaimo and Vancouver Island
**** some of the faces in the mix ****
The following sums-up the general feeling in Nanaimo:
During the Seventies, Mickey would have a very interesting
boxing journey with some rock solid victories. His first
significan victory was a decision over former club mate
and 1973 Canadian champion JACK SNAITH.
During those early years, he would become a top
junior boxer and would earn the important special
award for junior boxers in British Columbia and
that was the JIMMY SYME award. Mickey was the
first Vancover Island boxer to win this award, and
in subsequent years two other Island recipients
would be CLIFF BALLENDINE and ALAN BROWN.
It was August 1975, and the opening headline in the
local Nanaimo paper read: "Boxer Off To Games"
and this news about Mickey's trip to Regina for
the Western Summer Games included some names
of other BC boxers with great experience including
Ed and Joe McCaffrey, Jamie Ollenberger and others.
The final news had a more interesting headline:
"Griffin strikes Gold" with the key part of the narrative
being: "Nanaimo boxer MICKEY GRIFFIN brings home
a gold medal from the Western Summer Games held in
Regina,Saskatchewan.
Mickey would announce his retirement and would later
earn a title in kickboxing. Years later, Mickey would
turn to coaching boxing in Victoria. For awhile in
Nanaimo, in the late Seventies he would assist in
coaching duties. Some of his well known Nanaimo
club mates that would also turn to coaching would
be BOB PEGUES in Prince George and
then BARRY CRESWELL in Nanaimo.
INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT - Mid Seventies
*although the Cubans were high in the ratings, the
Canadians were there in force to compete in
Montreal including Nanaimo's MICKEY GRIFFIN
who joined the tournament on short notice as a
replacement for Pan Am Gold Medalist Chris Clarke.
Canadian boxers in addition to Griffin were:
Chris Ius, Pietro Contarini, Carmen Rinke,
ian Clyde and Tim Taylor.
Mickey would face USA boxer james Kenty in the
lightweight division.
A SPECIAL TOURNAMENT IN NANAIMO: NOVEMBER 1975
*In the days leading up to a special bout that
would be featured in what was billed as the
Vancouver Island Bronze Gloves, local boxer
MICKEY GRIFFIN would work with coach
CLARK MACLELLAN punching a medicine ball
among other training routines has he prepared for his
main event bout against Canada's 1972 Olympic Team
boxer CHRIS IUS. But, the ending proved to be a
controversial ending with Ius getting a split-decision win.
The claim was there was referee interference which sided
with Ius. However, claims of referee and judges bias that
have effected the outcome has been a rock solid claim
before the Seventies and well beyond the Nineties.
FROM THE BEST JUNIOR BOXER IN 1974 to
setbacks in 1975 took their toll on Mickey so
he would announce his retirement in February 1976
with no real hope to make the Canadian Olympic team.
BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR BOXING HALL of FAME
Authorize by 2013 Administrators
Ray Beaulieu, Dean Bruckshaw Steven Kodiak,
Seth Gotro, Steve Wood, Brian Zelley
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