Thursday, October 31, 2013

JOE WEBB, a Canadian boxing builder

JOE WEBB remembered:  by Brian Zelley

Joe Webb is remembered by some for his involvement in BC
 boxing in the seventies
and  Boxing Saskatchewan in the eighties.  I believe, the first time I remember Joe
was when he was one of the key builders behind our involvement with English boxing
teams such as those two shows in Vancouver and Victoria in 1976 .  Of course on the
mainland, the Gallagher family were involved to some degree along with
president Walter Boyce, official Bert Lowes and Island commissioner Howard Curling.

 It was about seven and one half years later when I received a letter from Joe
while he was in Saskatchewan.  Some of his chat was documented in the
January 1984 issue of the BC Amateur Boxing News

In the news, I mentioned that Joe had sent me some magazines and programs
of which some of the data would be used at a later date. But, on page 8 of the News I mentioned that  Joe was a life honorary member of the BC  Amateur Boxing
Association.,  Joe mentioned his recent trip to Germany in October 1983
along with Bert Lowes. 

In that same issue, there was that "Jabs, Hooks and Crosses" by Brian Zelley
ejovj outlined some common mistakes of the day.  Of course that was 1984, and we are now into 2013, so are the same old mistakes appearing into the performance
of boxers today.  Well these are the common  errors  of 1985, and do some of them crop up in todays ring wars.'

*dropping of gloves,  boxers tripping due to poor footwork, and
inexperienced boxers attempting to throw left hooks and uppercuts before they have
effectively learned how to execute proper straight punches through the target,
not at the target.  There are other issues mentioned, and much of the problemfalls on the back of the coaches. 

One of my comments in that January '84 column  made the following
important point:  It is not the duty of ring officials to teach boxers
 the proper methods of boxing during a contest, but in fairness to the boxer
and his competitor it is very important that a ring official issue cautions
and warnings.  A willingness of the boxers and the coaches to learn
from ring officials  will result in the long term improvement  of the boxers and the coaches. 

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