logo
Para boxing helped this N.B. man regain his confidence, now he wants that for others

Para boxing helped this N.B. man regain his confidence, now he wants that for others

CBC4 hours ago

Social Sharing
Andrew Lawlor has spent the past eight months getting ready for his first-ever boxing match.
But he isn't like most boxing newcomers. He's 57 years old and has one leg.
"When you go from being reasonably able-bodied and you get hurt and a lot of your abilities are taken away, you lose a lot of confidence in your own physicality, your own ability to do things," he said.
Lawlor had his left leg amputated above the knee after a car accident in 2018. As a result of the same accident, he also has partial use of one eye, and one arm that "doesn't really work."
"But I'm not going to tell you which one because I've got to fight in a week," he joked.
WATCH | 'The world's going to tell you that we're lesser physically, and we're not'
In this corner, a Fredericton Para boxer aiming to get the sport recognized
2 hours ago
Duration 3:04
Andrew Lawlor is ready to get in the ring, but there are few other Para boxers he can compete against. He's fighting an athlete who is not disabled instead.
Although he wouldn't have called himself an athlete before the accident, he was a longtime rugby player, so he soon began playing wheelchair rugby.
That's where he met a man who would become his mentor: New Brunswick Paralympian Hal Merrill.
"He told me something and I will never forget it. He just said, 'It's gonna be OK' and he rolled away," Lawlor said.
"And I didn't know what he meant at the time, but I know now. And he's right. It is OK."
Merrill passed away in March, but he's still an inspiration to Lawlor.
"He helped me believe in myself," he said.
Lawlor's wife Lesley has also been a support every step of the way. She said she wasn't surprised when he took up Para boxing.
"You can never tell Andrew no for anything," she said. "He just continues to get stronger and stronger and stronger, and he's unstoppable."
Getting into the ring
As Lawlor began to regain his physical strength, he started taking boxing classes for the cardio workout. He met Dave LeBlanc and Rennie Bradford at Fight 4 Fit 'n Health Fitness Centre in Minto.
"I fell in love with the sport, and Dave and Rennie showed some faith in me and my ability to maybe get in the ring," said Lawlor.
From there, they started looking for someone who Lawlor could fight against. But there aren't many other Para boxers in the region. So Lawlor's first match, on Saturday, will be against a non-disabled boxer who will use a wheelchair for the fight.
"He's half my age. Twice as big. He's got a ton of experience which I don't have, so I've kind of got him right where I want him," Lawlor said with a laugh.
LeBlanc said there have been some challenges in training Lawlor, because when a wheelchair boxing match happens, the two chairs are locked together in the centre of the ring.
"This is like us going into a whole new realm of boxing that we've never dealt with," LeBlanc explained. "I've always been able to throw a punch, move to the side, roll back, do a couple slips. You can do the slips, but you can't roll back, not when you're tethered together."
Now, only days away from the fight, Lawlor is as excited as he is nervous. But the outcome isn't what's important.
"I've already won," said Lawlor.
Expanding the sport
The match is not going to count toward any official standings, because Para boxing isn't an officially recognized sport in New Brunswick. And that's part of the reason why Lawlor isn't fighting another Para boxer.
"Because it hasn't been promoted or supported here in New Brunswick, there haven't been many developed," Lawlor said.
He and his coaching team are working with Parasport New Brunswick to try to get the sport officially recognized.
"We should have the opportunity to play any sport we want, or pick up a guitar or a bass or go sing on stage or act in a play." said LeBlanc. "There shouldn't be any barriers to this life and we're working together to reduce one more."
CBC News reached out to Parasport New Brunswick for an interview, but did not receive a response by publication time.
There's also a larger push coming from Atlantic Canada to try to get Para boxing recognized by the Paralympics.
In Nova Scotia, Aaron Kinch is a Para athlete and coach of two Para boxers. He's hosted several unofficial Para boxing matches.
"They're all exhibitions as of right now due to insurance purposes," he said. "No winner, no loser, just like a demonstration."
About five years ago, he founded the International Adaptive Boxing Federation, which now has members from 20 countries, including Canada.
Kinch said his group hopes to have Para boxing officially recognized in time for the next Paralympics in 2028.
"These guys go from not being able to compete in boxing … and then they train, they get in the ring and they have a lot of fun, and that would mean the absolute world to all these guys," he said.
Lawlor may not have Olympic aspirations, but he does want to see the sport continue to grow. He's looking to get certified as a coach, so he can be a mentor to others the way Merrill was for him.
"I do almost all the things I used to do now, just in a different way, and the toughest one to convince that, was me," he said. "And if I can help someone else shorten that journey, I think this is all worth it."

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Vancouver takes Charge defender Bell 1st overall in PWHL expansion draft
Vancouver takes Charge defender Bell 1st overall in PWHL expansion draft

National Post

timean hour ago

  • National Post

Vancouver takes Charge defender Bell 1st overall in PWHL expansion draft

Vancouver's new Professional Women's Hockey League team has selected defender Ashton Bell first overall in the league's first expansion draft. Article content The 25-year-old blue-liner from Deloraine, Man., spent the last two seasons playing in Ottawa. Article content Article content Bell contributed three goals and three assists over 27 regular-season games with the Charge last season, and added one more of each over eight playoff appearances. Article content Vancouver signed five players during an exclusive signing period for the two expansion clubs last week, including defenders Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques from the Minnesota Frost, former Ottawa Charge goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer, former Toronto Sceptres forward Sarah Nurse, and former Montreal Victoire forward Jenn Gardiner. Each of the PWHL's six founding teams has protected four players from the draft. Article content Vancouver and Seattle can select from any other player who is under contract for next season or whose playing rights are held for next season. Article content

Abbotsford Canucks heading to Calder Cup finals
Abbotsford Canucks heading to Calder Cup finals

CTV News

time2 hours ago

  • CTV News

Abbotsford Canucks heading to Calder Cup finals

The Abbotsford Canucks are heading to the Calder Cup finals, marking the first time in 10 years that a Vancouver Canucks AHL affiliate has made it this far. The team was holding a 3-2 series lead as they entered Game 6 of the Western Conference final. It ended in a 4-2 victory with Arshdeep Bains scoring the game's final goal into an empty net with 35 seconds remaining in the game. But the player getting the most attention from Sunday's game is centre Max Sasson, who is also being called the hero of the game for giving the team the lead. 'Everyone was a part of this, and it feels really good,' shared Sasson after the win. Matt Sekeres, host of Sekeres & Price, said Sunday's game can do a lot for upcoming Abbotsford Canucks seasons. 'It's probably going to make selling tickets next season and beyond a whole lot easier now that people have experienced this run to the Calder Cup,' shared Sekeres. The young AHL players have an opportunity and are stepping up, Sekeres added. 'Defenseman Victor Mancini was terrific in this postseason run, he is going to be pushing for a job with the big Canucks next season. The same goes for other players, (including) Sasson and goaltender Artur Silovs.' The team has been thriving with the help of head coach Manny Malhotra. 'I'm really happy to see the guys getting rewarded for the way they're playing and their commitment,' said Malhotra following Sunday's win. But the team's success has some fans wondering why the Vancouver Canucks didn't promote Malhotra when head coach Rick Tocchet left. The position was ultimately given to Adam Foote. 'If they were out hiring an established National Hockey League head coach, then you can understand bypassing Manny Malhotra for this job,' said Sekeres. 'But they wound up hiring a relatively inexperienced head coach to begin with.' The Calder Cup finals begin Friday night, with the Canucks in Charlotte, N.C., to take on the Checkers in Game 1.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store