Two fighters at Airdrie’s Humble Boxing Academy are catching the attention of their peers and having success on the Canadian boxing circuit.
Fighter Michael Parker recently won his second boxing match to move to 2-0 in his fledgling pro career, and amateur fighter Emily “Ice” Vigneault is following up her recent silver gloves success and Canada Winter Games gold medal with a shot at making the Canadian Youth Olympic Team this December.
Parker, who moved to Airdrie with his family from Liverpool, England and started boxing at Humble Boxing Academy five years ago, won his second professional fight by decision on Oct. 21. Parker defeated a previously undefeated Mexican fighter at the River Cree Resort near Edmonton.
“That fight was a good fight,” said Parker, in his thick Liverpool accent. “I was a bit nervous with that one because I only had two weeks' notice. So I was a bit worried about me cardio. But once it started, I felt like I controlled it, and it was good. He caught me a couple of shots early on, and then after that I managed to pull even. He was showing tells, and I just sort of counter punched my way through the fight.”
Parker is relishing his professional fighting journey, but has found it difficult to find matches due to being an unknown quantity in the Canadian professional fighting world. The fact he also won his first fight by knockout, said his coach, Humble Boxing Academy owner Lucas George, didn’t help. Because Parker is a relative unknown, said George, a knockout means he might be considered too big of a risk for beginners and too much of a puzzle to more veteran fighters, who couldn’t tell the extent of his talents in the ring from that kind of decision.
“The risk/ reward was there was no footage on him,” explained George. “Before he got this (Oct. 21) fight, he actually had six fights bail out on him … So what we said is: ‘You know what? We are just going to take any fight.’”
By going the full four rounds for his level, Parker proved he was a great technical fighter and not just a brawler, said George.
“In that second fight, he looked so composed,” said George. “He looked like a veteran. He looked like he was a professional at what he did. So hats off to Michael to be able to showcase what he can do … Michael just has a natural gift to him that a lot of people see it. He has unlimited potential.”
Parker was grateful for all the support he has received from his friends and family since choosing to go pro.
“I grew up watching boxing with me dad, and then when I moved to Airdrie football (soccer) wasn’t the same as it is back in the UK,” he explained. “Me mum was always worried about me going down the wrong path; so I had to take another sport. And boxing was the sport I picked.”
Parker is ready to take another fight any time the promoters come calling.
“Even when you don’t have a fight, you still stay in shape, because you never know when an opponent is going to call you,” he said.
As for Vigneault, her year keeps getting better and better. Having had gold medal and silver gloves success in 2023 already, the16-year-old former Muay Thai fighter will be heading to the Canadian National Championships in December. If she can have repeat success there, Vigneault hopes to go for Olympics qualifying in January to try out for the Canadian Youth Olympics boxing team, which will head to Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon in South Korea Jan. 19 to Feb. 1.
Vigneault, who hopes to go pro one day, is excited to be in reach of such a great amateur boxing opportunity. She was also thankful to her family and supporters, and especially to her coach, Lucas George and Humble Boxing, for helping transform her from a self-described Muay Thai “brick wall” brawler into a lean and mean dancing boxing machine.
“It definitely taught me footwork and movement,” she said, reflecting on her transformation as a fighter. “No other gym I have been to has been practicing footwork and moving around like here. They practice what movement should be like in boxing.”
George said he is proud of the work Vigneault has put in to become the quality fighter she is.
“When Emily first approached me she had kind of bounced around a couple boxing gyms hoping to find a home,” George recalled. “When I first met her I actually wasn’t quite sure because her Muay Thai background was so engraved in her that I just didn’t know (how she would transition).
“We just chipped away at it, chipped away at it, and then eventually found this boxer inside of her.”
Vigneault is known as “Ice” for a reason, said George, and she is rightfully feared for her calculating style, her fighters' pedigree, and her skill in the ring. Her achievements to date speak for themselves, he said.
“To go to the Winter Games after only two years and beat every province in Canada, and walk away with gold, was just a huge accomplishment. Especially at only 16-years-old.”
George said other Humble Boxing Academy fighters are also making their mark through his gym this year. He name checks several which have had provincial and amateur success, including Addy, the Baddy, Lescard, who will fight at the upcoming Wonder Woman tournament in Sooke, B.C., Jim Stevens, Jacks Laverick, Aiden Foster, Wade Haverchuk, who is heading to Olympic trials on Dec. 5, and Armaan Ghakel.
George is proud of the success his fighters are having.
“I don’t think tattoos and unibrows make fighters,” he said. “I think good-natured people who work hard make fighters. I create a family atmosphere so our fighters work together.
“And I tell ya, it has bred some savages; some seriously talented athletes,” he added with a chuckle.“We minimize the aggression and focus on technique.”
