It's never too late to chase your dream. Just ask Soheil Biniaz.
This weekend, the 32-year-old will make his amateur boxing debut as part of the B.C. Silver Gloves Championships, which is being hosted by Lights Out Boxing at the Richmond Sports Club.
Biniaz has always had a passion for the sport but never had the time to step in the ring. The construction worker has since found the right balance in his life to train three times a week.
He has enough knowledge of the sport to even serve as a mentor to some of the club's younger fighters.
"My dad used to box and I have been a fan of boxing all my life," explained Biniaz. "I offer them tips and encourage them on the whole idea of doing it at a young age.
"It was my childhood dream (to step into the ring) but just never had the chance to. Even in my early 20s I was busy with work. Now I have the time and energy to do something I really wanted to do. (Laughing) my mom wants this to be my one and only fight but we will see how it goes. (Coach) Ken (McInnis) has 30 years of experience and told me I would do okay."
Biniaz is one of three Lights Out athletes fighting for the first time. Thomas Thiessen joined the club soon after graduating from McRoberts secondary in July. With about two months of hard training, the 17-year-old says he is ready to compete in front of his family and friends.
"I have been a fan of marital arts since I was 12 and I have always thought of boxing as a classier sport," said Thiessen who attends Kwantlen University. "It's a good price (to join the club), a lot of fun and a great workout. It really has become my passion.
"I wouldn't be going into the ring if I wasn't prepared for it. I don't want to do something half ass and I'm taking this seriously, especially knowing there will be people coming to watch me."
At 16, Usman Shahzad already has five bouts under his belt and shows plenty of promise. The Grade 11 student at McRoberts is scheduled to be taking on a fighter from Quesnel.
"I want to take (boxing) as far as I can go," smiled Shahzad. "I thought about other martial arts but this is real fighting with your hands and there is a lot more competition out there. I love to train and just getting into the ring each time."
The B.C. Silver Gloves is for fighters with less than 10 amateur bouts. Lights Out Boxing coach and event organizer Ken McInnis is expecting about 15 bouts each day with clubs from as far away as Williams Lake and Nanaimo being represented.
"We will have some open (experienced) boxers on the card too," explained McInnis. "That's just the way it these days. There are some good fighters in B.C. right now. Six
went to youth nationals and three came back with gold. That hasn't happened in a long time."
The B.C. Silver Gloves Championships takes place at the Richmond Sports Club - #150-2251 No. 5 Road. The card gets underway at 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $20 for each day and are available at the door. For more information on the show or the Lights Out Boxing Club and its program, call Ken McInnis at 604-754-8658.
