How boxer Mary Spencer went from chasing quarters to chasing gold

By Sean Fitz-Gerald,  May 5, 2012

 

It was the best when it rained, when the sewers backed up and the water in the parking lot crept high on her boots, almost to her knees. Those were the best days, because those were the days Mary Spencer knew she would make the money to fund her dream.

She wanted a new pair of shoes, ones without gaping holes near the toes like the ones she had to wear every day. There were other uses for the money, too. It cost $3 in bus fare to get to basketball practice. And when the funds were especially tight at home, she needed to buy milk for her cereal. But she dreamed about the shoes, and so she prayed for rain.

Around the time she turned 11, a local grocery store began charging a 25-cent deposit for use of its carts. Customers inserted a quarter into a mechanism near the handle to release the cart. Only a few extra steps were needed to retrieve the quarter, but those were steps nobody wanted to take in a downpour. At least, nobody except Spencer, who learned the value in taking the steps others avoided.

In two months, she had her new shoes.

They cost $120, or 480 safely returned grocery carts.

“If I wanted something and didn’t have it, I wouldn’t sit back and think, ‘Oh, that sucks, I’m going to be hungry today,’ or, ‘That sucks, I can’t go to basketball practice,’ ” Spencer says. “I found a way to do it because I really wanted to eat, and I really wanted to go to basketball practice. Whatever I had to do, I would do it.”

Now, at 27, she drives a sports car. She is a spokesperson for a global cosmetics company that flew her to Los Angeles to film a television commercial. A documentary film crew is following her as she travels the world. She has wealthy friends and supporters.

When I’m fighting, I want to fight so bad

She is a boxer, a three-time world champion and a nine-time Canadian champion. With a top-eight finish at the world championships in China this month, she will qualify for the London Summer Olympics, where her sport will make its debut as a full medal event. And Spencer, once a single-minded girl who chased quarters in a grocery store parking lot in Windsor, will become the single-minded woman chasing gold for Canada on the world’s stage.

“When I’m fighting, I want to fight so bad, and there’s nothing that you can tell me to make me believe that I can’t reach my goal,” she says. “I can find a way. I’ll find an angle, even if it’s something that no one’s ever heard of before.”

Olympic hopeful Mary Spencer trains with her assistant coach, Cedric Benn, at the Windsor Amateur Boxing Club.

Charlie Stewart heard of Spencer before she stepped foot in a boxing ring. He is sitting in his office at the Windsor Amateur Boxing Club, a single-storey cinder block building that used to serve as a municipal storage shed. It was where the city kept its lawnmowers and other tools until the club took over. Stewart’s office was, for years, actually a bathroom.

On a grey afternoon in February, the whole structure seems to sink into the muddy field that surrounds it. The wind whistles through the front door, a heavy steel door that does not shut without considerable force. A sign on one wall reads: “Home of Mary Spencer.”

“A lot of guys wanted to give me information: ‘Charlie, you want a girl who can fight? We got this girl at school named Mary Spencer — she beats up guys,’” Stewart says with a broad smile. “That’s what they told me.”

Spencer, thumbing her mobile phone quietly in Stewart’s office, objects.

“No, I beat up one guy,” she says, smiling. “Not guys.”

They both laugh. Spencer looks back down at her phone when asked about her victim’s alleged offence.

“Well, that’s the bad part,” she says. “He really didn’t do anything but get in my way.”

Spencer is tall, at 5-foot-11, and athletic. Jerry Brumpton, a veteran basketball coach in Windsor, is still convinced she could have earned a scholarship to play somewhere in the United States. He only coached her for one year in high school, and used her anywhere he could in the front court: “She was our leading rebounder — anybody gets in her way it’s, ‘Hey, I’ll give you a shot.’”

Spencer was an intelligent but disinterested high school student. The second youngest of five children, she had a strong aptitude for math in middle school, but skipped classes in high school without her parents ever knowing. As she once told a television interviewer, she failed a gym class.

What she found in boxing was an outlet, something that appealed to the same sensibility that dictated her grocery cart racket. Then, she knew that if she returned eight carts a day for 60 days, she would earn enough to buy her shoes, the ones with the word “Air” on the side. As it was with boxing, underscored by a Muhammad Ali quote Stewart has hung in his gym: “The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”

Stewart had worked with women before, but not like Spencer. She would run, lift, hit and spar until she stumbled into the back to vomit. And then she would return for more.

“I could tell,” he says, “I could tell right away that she had the possibility to be good.”

Spencer sent an opponent from the ring in tears with that skill in Mexico last fall. It was her first bout at the Pan American Games — which, like the Olympics, also showcased women’s boxing for the first time — and after building an early lead, she began to taunt her opponent

There is film of Spencer’s first fight on YouTube. It is grainy, with hollow sound and an unsuspecting young woman in a blue tank top who ended the match on the canvas, in the fetal position. Spencer landed a combination on her opponent’s head and jackhammered into her abdomen. A towel can be seen flying in from the blue corner moments later.

“She has explosive speed and she does have a long reach,” says Don Courtemanche, who owns the Leamington Boxing Academy, in Southwestern Ontario. “She knows how to move and to keep people at the end of her punch.”

Stewart called Courtemanche more than a year ago, but not for coaching advice. Spencer was training to fight a left-handed boxer, and needed a sparring partner. No women were either willing or able to fill the role. Courtemanche had never sparred at full speed with a woman before, and says the quickness of Spencer’s jabs, the way she creates an opening for her power punches, “keeps you on your toes.”

I could tell right away that she had the possibility to be good

Spencer sent an opponent from the ring in tears with that skill in Mexico last fall. It was her first bout at the Pan American Games — which, like the Olympics, also showcased women’s boxing for the first time — and after building an early lead, she began to taunt her opponent, American Franchon Crews. Spencer dropped both gloves, daring Crews to land a punch. Spencer won. She won her first two fights by a combined score of 36-12, and went on to win gold. She was Canada’s flag-bearer at the closing ceremony.

“Mary has had her challengers,” Courtemanche says. “There are some people in the world who can put up a fight with her, but yeah, she’s a three-time world champion for a reason. There’s very few out there, which is exactly why she sometimes has to look for male sparring partners. There’s just not a whole lot of people out there to compete with.”

In 2007, Spencer won the Canadian title by acclamation because no fighters in her weight class wanted to fight. Others avoided her by moving up or moving down a division. “She hits like a man,” Stewart has often said.

Spencer is not unbeatable, though. She lost the world championship six years ago in part because she did not adjust to the fighter she was facing. “That was a brutal, brutal lesson for Mary, because she didn’t listen to her corner,” says Ted Farron, a long-time supporter. “She couldn’t adapt to this girl’s style … Mary couldn’t get to her, and before we knew it, the fight was over.”

She lost again last month, falling to a 17-year-old during a tune-up tournament held in Cornwall, Ont. Claressa Shields routed Spencer in a 27-14 decision, and later told a reporter at her gym in Flint, Mich.: “They were not hard fights, I was expecting more.”

Spencer was undeterred. In television, radio and print interviews completed in the days and weeks after the fight, she spoke of the loss in positive terms, as adding more coal to the fire of her Olympic ambition. Shields, who has been training since she was 11 years old, was the subject of a sprawling profile in The New Yorker this week that asked: “Can a teen-age Olympic hopeful remake the image of women’s boxing?”

The story contains not a single mention of Spencer.

Mary Spencer of Canada reacts after defeating Franchon Crews of the United States.

Before she lost to Shields, it was widely assumed Spencer had already overcome perhaps her fiercest competition on the road to London: another Canadian, who used to be one of her closest friends.

Ariane Fortin, a shorter, stockier boxer from Quebec City, has been named Female Boxer of the Year three times by Boxing Canada. She shared the title with Spencer in 2008, and the two often roomed together on the road with the national team. That friendship turned into a rivalry in an instant in 2009 when the International Olympic Committee revealed, in a bit of a twist, that women would only be competing in three Olympic weight classes — 51 kilograms, 60 kilograms and 75 kilograms. (Men have 10 weight classes.)

Spencer and Fortin had been fighting in separate classes. The announcement forced them into the same weight class (75-kg), which meant only one of them could win the national title and only one could move onto the Olympics. It meant they had to fight each other.

She’s a three-time world champion for a reason

It was a split made for Hollywood. Spencer beat Fortin for the Canadian title in January, ending her former friend’s hopes of boxing for Canada at the Olympics. Fortin alleged the judges were biased, suggesting the fix was in for the attractive anglophone from Ontario.

According to a quote relayed by the CBC, Fortin told Radio-Canada: “It’s hard to score a point and win when you have judges who fixed the result in advance and when you work against the federation.”

Spencer did not fire back. Instead, she spoke of wanting to mend a broken friendship.

A documentary film crew from Montreal has been following both fighters, chronicling their relationship in a 90-minute feature due for release next year. The film is titledLast Woman Standing.

“In terms of both [Spencer] and [Fortin], I definitely think that one of the driving forces behind both of them is that this is a historic moment,” says Lorraine Price, one of the film’s co-directors. “This is the first time women’s boxing is going to be in the Olympics, and everyone will remember the name of the girl who wins the first gold medal. They might not remember the second, but they’ll remember the first.”

Female boxer and Olympic hopeful Mary Spencer stretches before she trains at the Windsor Amateur Boxing gym.

Gold was not something often associated with Spencer’s formative years.

“Well, I tell people, ‘We ate a lot of beans,’ ” Clifford Spencer says with a chuckle. “It was not really that bad.”

A little while later, the confirmation: “We weren’t rich.”

Clifford, born in New York state, and Ruth, born in Chicago, met while attending a bible college in Missouri. They have been married for more than 40 years, and raised their five children on a shoestring budget. Their family of seven used to live on a monthly stipend of about $1,600.

Ruth stayed home with the children. Clifford, for more than a decade, attended university classes. He has four degrees: liberal arts, theology, social work and law. Two degrees are from the University of Windsor, and two are from schools in the U.S. He passed the bar exam in Ontario — “I still have nightmares about that” — but never ended up practising.

Clifford, who is Ojibway, had his schooling covered by his reserve. (Ruth is not Ojibway. “Just plain white,” Clifford says with a laugh.) Money was tight.

“I mean, there were a lot of times we didn’t have any food, but I mean, whatever,” Mary says with a shrug. “That was another thing I liked to do, going to the Indian Friendship Centre. I remember my dad being, like, ‘You know, on Mondays, they give out free bread.’ And I was like, ‘Free bread? Why didn’t you tell us about this a long time ago?’”

The children did not roam wild, though. There were rigid routines at home, and each of them was placed in one activity or another. Reading was mandated. Clifford was more likely to take his children to the museum than the carnival. And they all went to church regularly. Mary, who started a degree in psychology at the University of Windsor, still does not train on Sundays, preserving that time for worship.

“Mary always knew,” Clifford says, “when she was in elementary school, that she could beat up any girl her age or her size.”

Canadian Olympic officials have invested heavily in the hope that Spencer will be able to beat up any woman her size in London. Own the Podium, a funding initiative for Canada’s amateur athletes, has given Spencer $140,000 in funding over the past two years, money used to provide everything from nutritional support to physiotherapy, personal training, sports psychology and more.

I hope I leave with a black eye today

Canada’s stated goal for London is a top-12 finish on the medal table. Canadians won 18 medals four years ago in Beijing, including three gold, to finish 14th. Spencer has long been touted as one of the country’s few gold medal favourites this time around.

“She’s a top medal contender, and we want to make sure Mary has everything possible to enable her to have no regrets going into London and ensure that every possible stone has been turned over,” says Anne Merklinger, chief executive officer of Own the Podium.

Spencer has long been touted as one of the country’s few gold medal favourites this time around.

Mary Spencer is sitting on a side of the ring, in a quiet moment after another training session at the Windsor Amateur Boxing Club, and she is talking about power. Earlier that morning, she hit a male sparring partner so hard in the sternum that he passed gas, loud enough to be heard by the documentary film crew at ringside. He smiled, sheepishly.

She believes power is something people are born with. Boxers can work on technique — build better defences, improve delivery — but there are limitations. As in basketball, she says, some people will just never be able to dunk, no matter how hard they try. And that is how she feels about fighting. You can always try to add strength to your punches, but if you were not born with the power, you will never be a power-puncher.

And Spencer has power, physical and otherwise. For all of her success in the ring, which has won her a contract with CoverGirl makeup, there is still a part of Spencer that used to run half the way to basketball practice because the bus route could only take her so far, a part of her that saw hundreds of abandoned grocery carts as a path to her goal.

“I hope I leave with a black eye today,” she says. “Sometimes, you have to be smart and you have to be defensive or whatever, but sometimes I’ll go in there and I’m like, ‘I feel like banging it out and leaving with a black eye or a fat lip.’ I don’t know why. I welcome it.”

She pauses.

She laughs at what she has just said.

“That’s something, maybe, I should think about,” she says. “Wow.”

SEAN FITZ-GERALD

sfitzgerald@nationalpost.com

Fighters Register Online at:
http://www.grapplingontario.com/grapplersquest

2012 Grapplers Quest
Toronto Championships
Filming LIVE for FightNow TV and 4.5 Million Homes in North America on
“Best of Grapplers Quest” airing every Wednesday at 8:30 PM EST – listings at: http://FightNow.com

- All Ages and Skill Levels
- Submission Grappling
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- Judo & Wrestling
- Great Awards & Prizes too!

Weigh-Ins and Fighter Registration at Venue:

Friday, June 22: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM or
Saturday, June 23: Open at 7:00 AM

Fighters & Competitors Register Online at:

http://www.grapplingontario.com/grapplersquest

YOUTH DIVISION BREAKDOWN:

CHILDREN – 6 years and Under
CHILDREN – 7-9 yrs. old
CHILDREN – 10-12 yrs. old
TEENS- 13-15 yrs. old
TEENS – 16-17 yrs. old

Youth’s divisions are broken down by the following skill levels:
Beginner (less than 12 months),
Advanced (12 months and over)

Women’s No-Gi Divisions 
Women’s Beginner (less than 9 months training)
NEW: Women’s Intermediate (9-18 months of training)
Women’s Advanced (18+ months of training)

Age Groups for Men
Executive No-Gi (30-39 yrs.),
Masters No-Gi (40 yrs. +)
BJJ is 30 years and over (called Executive includes all ages 30+)

Men’s No-Gi Skill Levels: 
Novice (less than 9 months),
Beginner (9-18 months),
Intermediate (18-36 months),
Advanced (36 months and over)

AVAILABLE DIVISIONS AT GRAPPLERS QUEST EVENTS

NOTE: brackets are subject to change or be combined based upon competitor turnout, but seldom ever occurs

YOUTH – 6 years and Under (No-Gi and BJJ)
Lightweight (49.9 lbs. & below)
Middleweight (50-59.9 lbs.)
Cruiserweight (60-69.9 lbs.)
Heavyweight (70 lbs. and over)

YOUTH – 7-9 yrs. old (No-Gi and BJJ)
Lightweight (59.9 lbs. and below)
Middleweight (60-69.9 lbs.)
Cruiserweight (70-79.9 lbs.)
Heavyweight (80 lbs. and over)

YOUTH – 10-12 yrs. old (No-Gi and BJJ)
Lightweight (79.9 lbs. and under)
Middleweight (80-89.9 lbs.)
Cruiserweight (90-99.9 lbs.)
Heavyweight (100 lbs. and over)

TEENS- 13-15 yrs. old (No-Gi and BJJ)
Lightweight (99.9 lbs. and under)
Middleweight (100-114.9 lbs.)
Cruiserweight (115-129.9 lbs.)
Heavyweight (130 lbs. and over)

TEENS – 16-17 yrs. old (No-Gi and BJJ)
Lightweight (119.9 lbs. and under)
Middleweight (120-134.9 lbs.)
Cruiserweight (135-149.9 lbs.)
Heavyweight (150-169.9 lbs.)
Superweight (170 lbs. and over)

WOMEN’S NO-GI BEGINNER (9 months training or Less)
Women’s No-Gi Beginner Class A (119.9 lbs. & below)
Women’s No-Gi Beginner Class B (120-139.9 lbs.)
Women’s No-Gi Beginner Class C (140-159.9 lbs.)
Women’s No-Gi Beginner Class D (160 lbs. +)
Women’s No-Gi Beginner Absolute (Open Weight)

WOMEN’S NO-GI INTERMEDIATE (9-18 months training or)
Women’s No-Gi Intermediate Class A (119.9 lbs. & below)
Women’s No-Gi Intermediate Class B (120-139.9 lbs.)
Women’s No-Gi Intermediate Class C (140-159.9 lbs.)
Women’s No-Gi Intermediate Class D (160 lbs. +)
Women’s No-Gi Intermediate Absolute

WOMEN’S NO-GI ADVANCED (18 months training or more)
Women’s No-Gi Advanced Class A (119.9 lbs. & below)
Women’s No-Gi Advanced Class B (120-139.9 lbs.)
Women’s No-Gi Advanced Class C (140-159.9 lbs.)
Women’s No-Gi Advanced Class D (160 lbs. +)
Women’s No-Gi Advanced Absolute

WOMEN’S BJJ WHITE BELT
Women’s BJJ White Belt Class A (119.9 lbs. & below)
Women’s BJJ White Belt Class B (120-139.9 lbs.)
Women’s BJJ White Belt Class C (140-159.9 lbs.)
Women’s BJJ White Belt Class D (160 lbs. +)

WOMEN’S BJJ BLUE BELT
Women’s BJJ Blue Belt Class A (119.9 lbs. & below)
Women’s BJJ Blue Belt Class B (120-139.9 lbs.)
Women’s BJJ Blue Belt Class C (140-159.9 lbs.)
Women’s BJJ Blue Belt Class D (160 lbs. +)

WOMEN’S BJJ PURPLE/BROWN/BLACK BELT
Women’s BJJ Purple/Brown/Black Belt Absolute (weight classes created if possible)

EXECUTIVE (30-39 yrs.) BEGINNER (24 months training or less)
Executive No-Gi Beginner Light (159.9 lbs. & below)
Executive No-Gi Beginner Middle (160-179.9 lbs.)
Executive No-Gi Beginner Cruiser (180-199.9 lbs.)
Executive No-Gi Beginner Heavy (200 lbs. +)
Executive No-Gi Beginner Absolute

EXECUTIVE (30-39 yrs.) ADVANCED (24 months training or more)
Executive No-Gi Advanced Light (159.9 lbs. & below)
Executive No-Gi Advanced Middle (160-179.9 lbs.)
Executive No-Gi Advanced Cruiser (180-199.9 lbs.)
Executive No-Gi Advanced Heavy (200 lbs. +)
Executive No-Gi Advanced Absolute

MASTERS BEGINNER (24 months training or less)
Masters No-Gi Beginner Light (159.9 lbs. & below)
Masters No-Gi Beginner Middle (160-179.9 lbs.)
Masters No-Gi Beginner Cruiser (180-199 lbs.)
Masters No-Gi Beginner Heavy (200 lbs. +)
Masters No-Gi Beginner Absolute

MASTERS ADVANCED (24 months training or more)
Masters No-Gi Advanced Light (159.9 lbs. & below)
Masters No-Gi Advanced Middle (160-179.9 lbs.)
Masters No-Gi Advanced Cruiser (180-199 lbs.)
Masters No-Gi Advanced Heavy (200 lbs. +)
Masters No-Gi Advanced Absolute

MEN’S NOVICE (Less than 9 Months Training – NO WRESTLERS)

Men’s No-Gi Novice Bantam (129.9 lbs. & below)
Men’s No-Gi Novice Flyweight (130-139 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Novice Feather (140-149 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Novice Light (150-159 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Novice Welter (160-169 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Novice Middle (170-179 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Novice Cruiser (180-189 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Novice Light-Heavy (190-199 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Novice Heavy (200-209 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Novice Super (210 lbs. +)
Men’s No-Gi Novice Absolute (Open Weight)

MEN’S BEGINNER (9-18 Months Training)
Men’s No-Gi Beginner Bantam (129.9 lbs. & below)
Men’s No-Gi Beginner Flyweight (130-139 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Beginner Feather (140-149 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Beginner Light (150-159 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Beginner Welter (160-169 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Beginner Middle (170-179 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Beginner Cruiser (180-189 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Beginner Light-Heavy (190-199 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Beginner Heavy (200-209 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Beginner Super (210 lbs. +)
Men’s No-Gi Beginner Absolute (Open Weight)

MEN’S INTERMEDIATE (18-36 Months Training)
Men’s No-Gi Intermediate Bantam (129.9 lbs. & below)
Men’s No-Gi Intermediate Flyweight (130-139 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Intermediate Feather (140-149 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Intermediate Light (150-159 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Intermediate Welter (160-169 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Intermediate Middle (170-179 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Intermediate Cruiser (180-189 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Intermediate Light-Heavy (190-199 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Intermediate Heavy (200-209 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Intermediate Super (210 lbs. +)
Men’s No-Gi Intermediate Absolute (Open Weight)

MEN’S ADVANCED (36+ Months Training)
Men’s No-Gi Advanced Bantam (129.9 lbs. & below)
Men’s No-Gi Advanced Flyweight (130-139 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Advanced Feather (140-149.9 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Advanced Light (150-159.9 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Advanced Welter (160-169.9 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Advanced Middle (170-179.9 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Advanced Cruiser (180-189.9 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Advanced Light-Heavy (190-199.9 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Advanced Heavy (200-209.9 lbs.)
Men’s No-Gi Advanced Super (210 lbs. +)

Men’s No-Gi Advanced Absolute 
(Cash Prize at every show nationwide – Open Weight)

Daniel will back in Canada conducting a No-gi Jiu-jitsu seminar on May 5th 2012 in Toronto at Toronto No Gi, 1560 Yonge St. Unit G4, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4T 2S9. The seminar will begin at 1:00PM and is open to the general public.

This is one seminar that you do not want to miss! Daniel is regarded as one of the best Jiu-Jitsu players and coaches in the world and has worked with elite fighters such as Anderson “The Spider” Silva and Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira. Daniel is both a BJJ and Judo Black Belt, a World No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Champion, ADCC veteran and multiple Grapplers Quest Superfight Champion.

Daniel became a popular figure in the MMA world after being selected by “Minotauro” as the grappling coach for Team Noueira on the 8th season of the hit TV show, The Ultimate Fighter. During the filming of the show, Daniel ended up exchanging harsh words with one of the top contestants, Jiu-Jitsu champion Vinny Magalhaes. The rivalry ended up being settled with a Jiu-Jitsu match (Grapplers Quest UFC Fan Expo Super Fight), where Daniel defeated Magalhaes despite giving up close to 30 lbs and having very little time to prepare.

Here is some competition footage of Daniel just running through his opponents:

On Saturday March 24th 2012 we will be hosting a Grappling Open House featuring local Sports Hall of Fame inductee, grappling champion, Colin Daynes. Colin is a multiple provincial, national and world champion, a former Canadian Olympic athlete and a Professional MMA Fighter with a perfect record of 4 wins and 0 losses. This event is FREE to the public and to individuals of all ages. Colin is here to promote healthy living and to give back to his home-town community.
 
Schedule

• Beginner Grappling Workshop from 9:30 to 10:30am
• Advanced Grappling Workshop (1 year experience required) from 11:00am to 12:00pm
• Open Mat from 12:00pm to 2:00pm.

 
This event is FREE and open to all members of the public of all ages. Workshop participants– dress to sweat and make sure you and your clothes are clean. Please remember to cut your finger and toenails short and do not wear anything with zippers.
 

Bellator 64 will takes place on April 6 in The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor.

Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren (9-0 MMA, 6-0 BFC) faces season-five tournament winner Douglas Lima (21-4 MMA, 3-0 BFC) in the evening’s main event.

“The support we have received in Canada has been nothing short of spectacular, so when we had the chance to bring Bellator to Windsor, it was an easy decision, CEO Bjorn Rebney stated.

“Ben Askren vs. Douglas Lima will showcase two of the best and brightest stars in the world at 170 pounds. The fans watching inside Caesars and the viewers catching the fights on MTV2 or TheScore are in for a great night.”

In addition to the night’s main event, Bellator 64 also hosts the semifinals of the promotion’s season-six featherweight tournament. Also making his Bellator debut will be our own, “Lights Out” Lance Snow. Lance will take on Ontario native, Mike Sledzion at a catch weight of 160lbs.

As with all of Bellator’s season-six events, Bellator 64 airs on MTV2 and TheScore television network. The night’s preliminary card will also stream on Spike.com.

Tickets for this event will be available for purchase at the gym. Contact us for details. Come out and support Lance in our hometown.

By Randy Starkman
Olympic Sports Reporter, Toronto Star.

It was the biggest win of boxer Mary Spencer’s life, a huge step in her quest for Olympic gold, but her celebration in the ring was muted.

Spencer had just rallied to pound out an 18-12 decision over good friend turned fierce foe Ariane Fortin to win the women’s 75-kg title at the national boxing championships in Cape Breton, N.S.

A three-time world champion and reigning titlist in the 75-kg division, Spencer now needs a top-eight finish at the world championships in China in May to book her ticket to the 2012 London Olympics.

As world champions and roommates on team road trips, Spencer and Fortin held a fervent dream of representing Canada together when women’s boxing debuts in London. But when the number of weight divisions was pared from five to three, it put the tight tandem on a collision course.

On Friday night before a raucous crowd at Ring 73 in Glace Bay, the Olympic dream died for Fortin and Spencer felt her pain.

“I went up to her and I wanted her to know that this is a bittersweet victory for me, that I’m not jumping up and down and trying to rub it in and going crazy because it’s the biggest victory of my career,” said Spencer in a telephone interview. “I didn’t want to do that because I know that as big of a day as it is for me, it’s a bad day for her.

“I wanted her know it wasn’t my intention, I never wanted to beat Ariane Fortin, I just wanted to win an Olympic gold medal. We were close friends and I want that friendship to resume.”

As Spencer acknowledged last week, they’d become “dead enemies” since learning they’d have to go toe-to-toe three years ago. They’re believed by many to be the top two women’s boxers in the world.

“Ariane was my toughest opponent,” Spencer said. “Before we found out we had to fight each other, I considered her the only person in the world who could beat me. But once we got that news, my mindset changed instantly and it was like ‘I have to beat her. I have to figure out a way to beat her, because I want to win this gold medal.’”

Spencer started out somewhat tentatively Friday night and was trailing the more aggressive Fortin by one point after the first and second rounds. But the pride of Windsor, Ont., came out firing in the third round to take an insurmountable 15-9 lead.

“I knew there was no way I was going to give up six points in that fourth round,” said the 27-year-old. “My defence is too good. I kind of knew I had the fight after the third round and I just played defensive in the fourth.”

Spencer knew she had to get busy in the third round.

“I was just thinking it’s my destiny to win this fight, I better pick it up,” she said.

Spencer had some big back in the crowd from the First Nations — her father is Ojibway and the personable fighter is mentoring a group of kids from the Cape Croker Indian Reserve in Wiarton, Ont.

“To be here right in Mic Mac territory, I feel like I couldn’t have wrote the script any better,” she said.

Also advancing in the Olympic women’s weight classes were Mandy Bujold of Kitchener (51-kg) and Sandra Bizier of Stoneham, Que. (60-kg)

Although she now is past one of her biggest obstacles on the road to London and Olympic gold, Spencer realizes there is much work ahead.

“I felt three years ago that if I could win this fight, I would have won an Olympic gold medal,” she said. “That’s how important and how hard this fight was going to be for me. I felt this was my gold medal match.

“But now that it’s over with, I’m realizing the gold medal in the Olympics comes in the Olympics. I know there’s going to be a tough road ahead of me.”

Dynamic Slip Bag training with Coach Cedric Benn featuring Jeremy Garrod. This drill is designed to build reaction time, speed, precise punching and automatic head movement. Not only are these skills important in boxing, but as Coach Cedric points out this is especially valuable in MMA when using smaller gloves.

Congratulations to Goran Arnaut for his Gold Medal performance in the Cruiser-weight division at the 2011 North American Grappling Association (NAGA) Championships in Toronto over the weekend– this was Goran’s first tournament competition.

Also congratulations to Chris Heedo for a solid 2-1 tournament performance. When Chris first walked into the gym a couple of years ago he was hairy, uncoordinated and fat– about 70 lbs heavier than he is now. Well, he’s still hairy but now he’s in fantastic shape and has a the skill-set to match. Chris is a great example of how hard-work and determination pays off. Well done, Chris!

Watch Goran quickly secure a “Verdecana” from side-control in his Gold Medal match:

Watch Chris Heedo secure a solid guillotine finish to win his first match:

We have padded sticks at the gym– they’re a great kickboxing tool to help train your blocking, parrying, head movement and checking leg kicks. We don’t use them often because people can’t resist the urge to ninja sword fight with them. And even though they’re padded they still hurt and leave some big bruises. Anyways, checkout this ninja battle royal that erupted after kickboxing class! Bonsai!

2011 NAGA TORONTO GRAPPLING CHAMPIONSHIP

The North American Grappling Association (NAGA) is the world’s largest mixed grappling tournament circuit with over 45 annual tournaments and 145,000 competitors worldwide. On Saturday & Sunday, December 3 & 4, 2011, NAGA makes its debut in Canada for its 1st ever NAGA Toronto Grappling Championship. This tournament is part of the MMA Expo and takes place at the International Centre (Hall 5) in Mississauga, ON, just outside Toronto. This is a two day event; all No-Gi divisions are on Saturday, all Gi divisions are on Sunday. The tournament is open to all styles. You do not need to be part of any organization or team to participate. This event is nationally RANKED!

100 CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS AWARDED
NAGA is the only grappling tournament in the world to award 100 CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS to all its Children, Teen, Adult, Masters, Directors and Executive Expert Division Winners.

2 DAY TOURNAMENT; NO-GI ON SATURDAY, GI ON SUNDAY
On Saturday, December 3, all No-Gi divisions will take place. This includes all kids (13 years & under), teens (14 to 17 years), and adults (18 years and over). On Sunday, December 4, all Gi divisions will take place. Once again, this includes all kids, teens and adults. This is a departure from NAGA’s normal 2 day schedule, please plan accordingly.

6 SPECTACULAR TEAM CUPS AWARDED
All 6 of our top teams (Adult Gi, No-Gi & Youths 17 yrs. & under) will receive a massive, custom engraved CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM CUP. Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase the talent that your academy possesses.

NAGA IS PART OF THE MMA EXPO
Mixed Martial Arts Expo is the original MMA Fan Expo since 2005. This event will give fans the opportunity to meet MMA stars and the MMA Female Models. There will be the MMA Team Fitness Challenge which pits MMA teams against one another in a fitness competition with events like; 100 lb. tire flipping, agility ladder, hurdles, and more. There are many more events along with over 100 exhibition booths. Spectator tickets are purchased through the Expo’s website. For more information on the Expo or to purchase tickets visit mixedmartialartsexpo.com. Expo is in Hall 5 of the International Centre.

FREE TORONTO CHAMPION GI PATCH
All Children, Teens & Adults who place 1st in any of our Gi Divisions (White Belt through Black Belt) will receive a NAGA Toronto Champion Gi patch. These patches are not sold, only earned by the best competitors in the North America!

NAGA MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE AT NAGA TORONTO
NAGA will be bringing an entire truck load of board shorts, t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and much more to NAGA Toronto. There will be clothing for men, women, and children. Be sure to visit the NAGA booth on the Expo floor near the NAGA mats.

NATIONALLY RANKED EVENT
All NAGA events are part of the nationwide ranking system entitled RANKED. Our goal is to determine who the best grapplers in the country are for various age, gender, and skill levels. This tournament will be nationally ranked so do not miss your opportunity to gain points towards a true national title . More details can be found at www.nationallyranked.com.

SANDBAGGERS BEWARE
NAGA works diligently to prevent “sandbagging”, or the practice of fighting down skill levels to ensure one takes home an award. NAGA has been working with RANKED to track all fighters and ranked grappling events to produce true “national standings.” A by-product of these standings is our knowledge of who has competed and at which level. Front door personnel will use RANKED data to determine whether or not individuals who have fought in past events belong in a higher skill level (i.e. placed 1st at a prior NAGA event).

Download the event package http://www.nagafighter.com/pdf/toronto2011.pdf