Boxing fans are in for a treat this week, as some high calibre matches are taking place in Sarnia.
Around 176 competitors from across Canada are in town for the Hennessey Holdings 2024 Elite and U23 National Championships.
The event is being put on by the Bluewater Boxing Club, in partnership with the Sarnia-Lambton Tourism Board, Boxing Ontario, and Boxing Canada.
Bluewater Boxing Club spokesman Tom Hennessey is excited.
"We have two local boxers in the tournament," said Hennessey. "We have Mike White in the 75 kilo U23 division, and Melodia Bastien in the 48 kilo female U23 division. We're also going to put on a few bouts with our local kids just to showcase them."
Hennessey said the fights are great preparation for the next Olympic Games.
"Right now, because the Olympics just ended, we've started a four year quadrennial and these kids are who we're looking at to go to Los Angeles in 2028 as Canadian champions going to the Olympics," he said.
Hennessey said taking up boxing has a number of benefits.
"Physical fitness is probably the first one and self esteem for the kids," he said. "Some kids join the club because of bullying and we spend a lot of time talking about it, dealing with it, and teaching them discipline to know the difference on how to handle it."
Matches begin on Wednesday, at the Royal SCITS Academy on Wellington Street, and continue through Saturday's championship bouts.
The fights are from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. each day.
Tickets are $25 for one fight, or you can see all of the fights for $150.
As part of the weekend, eight people will be inducted into Boxing Canada Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Inductees include local boxer Jennifer Ogg who won the 2002 world championships for the Bluewater Boxing Club.
Email info@bluewaterboxingclub.ca or call 519-331-2551 to secure your seats.