Jason Heit used to be that guy.
The Victoria trainer sees a lot of his younger self in the boxers who will take part in the 10-bout Canada-Germany Under-19 Selects dual boxing card tonight at 7 p.m. in the Eagle Ridge Arena in Langford. The card, which follows a week-long training camp on the Island, features the boxers from both nations being groomed for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“I was this kid in camp once,” said Heit, who is organizing the camp and the card.
“This is the pathway to the 2028 Olympics and an amazing opportunity for these young boxers to get used to dealing with the distractions and the travel and the experience of being trained by national-team coaches and not their personal coaches. The earlier they learn to deal with these things the better.”
The Canada-Germany card is being supported by 94 Forward, the legacy fund from the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games.
“That brings it even more full circle for me,” said Heit.
He was a volunteer at the 1994 Games boxing practice and warm-up facility at Oak Bay High School gym and saw the boxers training up close and thought to himself: “I think I can do this.” He certainly could. One year later, Heit made the team for the 1995 Pan Am Games in Argentina and then just missed making the team for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics by one spot in the Canadian final bout.
Heit went 26-4 as an amateur before turning pro and moving to Los Angeles and finishing with a combined boxing, kick-boxing and MMA record of 42-5 with 34 knockouts.
Heit’s pro career was managed by Burt Young of Paulie fame from the Rocky franchise. Heit then worked as a bodyguard for actors Nicholas Cage, David Duchovny and Drew Barrymore following his fight career.
The boxers featured tonight in the Eagle Ridge Arena would do well to follow such an adventurous career path.
“This is a valuable experience that is going to prepare these Canadian and German boxers for the Under-19 world championships in Colombia in October,” said Heit.
“This is a good assessment opportunity for them ahead of the Under-19 worlds.”
And four years ahead of Los Angeles 2028.
“The Under-19 athletes are using this competition as a starting point for their 2028 L.A. Olympics campaign,” said Boxing Canada high performance director Kraig Devlin of Victoria.
“In another four years, the champions here in Langford, will be poised to represent their countries at the biggest event of their lives with Olympic medals on the line.”
Tickets for tonight’s Canada-Germany U-19 bouts start at $25 and are available at the door or online through champpromotions.com.
