Punching their tickets to nationals

Jerzy Gallinger knows what it feels like to be a punching bag.

When you grow up with two older brothers, you endure plenty of jabs, hooks and uppercuts. No complaints from baby bro, though — those early bouts helped prepare the 17-year-old Winnipegger for competitive boxing.

“I definitely noticed the impact it’s had on me. I can take shots better than most guys, especially from bigger guys,” said Gallinger.

“I’m used to not being as strong because my older brothers are giants — they’re like 6-1, 180 pounds, so they’re pretty big. I’m used to being more smart about how to attack and how to defend myself.”

His siblings play hockey, but Gallinger hung up his skates when he was 14 to step into the ring. He walked into Pan Am Boxing Club one day and has been a regular ever since.

“It’s weird to say, but I found it very peaceful when I was at the gym,” said Gallinger, who graduated from West Kildonan Collegiate last year and now works for Harley Davidson detailing bikes.

“It’s kind of counterintuitive because of how crazy it is around here, but I’ve found peace in all the chaos, and it just made me enjoy it a lot more.”

He’ll be in the middle of the chaos this weekend at the Manitoba Boxing Provincials. There are 20 scheduled matches, with the action starting Saturday at Power Boxing Club and wrapping up Sunday at Pan Am Boxing Club.

Gallinger will compete in the 18-plus ranks in the 55 kg division against Isaiah Rock (Power Boxing) and Gabe Bear (Red Warrior Boxing in Peguis First Nation). Even though Rock and Bear are several years older than him, Gallinger is confident he can contend.

“Although I don’t have lots of experience fighting, I’m in the gym every day, all day pretty much,” said Gallinger, who fought at the last two nationals at the junior level.

“I got lots of experience in the gym. All I do is think about boxing. I’ll probably go home from the gym and watch a bunch of boxing fights. It’s the only thing I really think about and how to improve.”

It’ll take an upset to bring down Rock, 22, who was a finalist at 2024 nationals.

“I have a lot of goals in boxing, I do. But I’ve got to start with Saturday and Sunday,” said Rock.

“I’m gonna go in there, trust my coaches, and everything I’ve been working on this year, I’m gonna let it go.”

“I’m gonna go in there, trust my coaches, and everything I’ve been working on this year, I’m gonna let it go.”

The two finalists will receive berths to Boxing Canada’s Elite Nationals (Nov. 26-30) that are being hosted in Winnipeg at the Sport for Life Centre.

“That would be wicked. The support would probably be crazy,” said Gallinger.

“Even the support at the little club shows here, the support is always crazy. So, at a major tournament like that, I couldn’t imagine.”

A downside to this weekend is there won’t be any female fights. Priyanka Dhillon, Sidney Meisner, Robyn Grant, Katerina Collins and Taina Santos will all represent the province at nationals, but since they’re all in different weight classes, there’s no competition for them locally.

“I’m already invited to nationals as a Team Canada member, but the other girls that are wanting to do nationals from Manitoba, get an automatic (spot),” said Dhillon, a 32-year-old out of Pan Am that won 48 kg gold at last year’s nationals.

“So, they will automatically get to go to nationals which is awesome, but it would be nice to get a fight in before you do go compete at that level. Anyone from Manitoba, guys as well, constantly have to travel to get fights. So, hopefully they’ve been travelling to get those fights in and preparing by sparring with each other.”

The sport has taken Dhillon to places like England — where she captured bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games — Germany, Turkey, Czechia and Kazakhstan for camps and competitions. Tossing haymakers in her hometown next month will be a unique opportunity for Dhillon — who made history in 2022 by becoming the first Manitoba female to compete in an International Boxing Association World Championship event.

Nationals will be the first major boxing contest to grace Winnipeg since the 1999 Pan Am Games.

“I feel good. I’m the one to beat. I’m the No. 1 seed, so that puts a bit of pressure on me, and also the pressure of fighting at home which I rarely get to do,” said Dhillon.

“I don’t really know how to feel about it right now. I’ve never fought in a tournament in Winnipeg before, so that is different. This is the first time nationals is taking place here, so it will be really nice to have the support of friends and family.”

Dhillon would love to see nationals bring more Manitobans into the squared circle.

“I really do hope so,” said Dhillon.

“(Boxing has) given me some of the best friends and memories of my life.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca