Two Oshawa Boxers will look to represent in a big way when they compete in Nova Scotia. Evan Gillard and Thad Ridsdill represent Motor City Boxing Club on June 15th and the Saturday night card is set to go in Bedford. I took the time to visit the pugilists at Motor City Boxing Club weeks out from their respective tilts and am documenting their stories here.
Evan Gillard readies himself for a Light Flyweight contest against Ramon Valles and is aiming for his 3rd professional victory. It can often times be difficult for Evan to find competition due to the fact he fights in a smaller weight division. Often times he takes fight with overseas competitors and has fought some Mexicans up until this point due to the lack of similar sized Canadian boxers. Nothing seems to come easy for Evan. Gillard also broke his hand in his first Pro bout but it ended up being a big confidence booster when he was able to work through the injury.
Evan credits the Motor City Boxing Club higher ups as being key to his development in the absence of having regular sparring partners around his size.
“All my work is with my head coach Don Nelson and my second Brad Gonsalvez…..Lance Campbell is my cut man and strength and conditioning coach. I joined the club in 2007. I was like 12 years old…I took a knack for it right away and loved it.”
Motor City Boxing used to be a strictly competitive club when Gillard joined. You had to pass a fitness test to join the ranks of the club. Pugilists had to show a certain level of aptitude before you could claim to be part of the Oshawa Boxing fraternity.
Evan Gillard Interview Audio HERE
Thad Ridsdill is also aiming for is 3rd Pro Boxing win. Thad’s opponent Adam Hazelton is predominantly an MMA fighter but will compete in the sweet science June 15th at Lebrun Arena. When I spoke with Thad, he gave an evaluation of Adam’s skills heading into the June 15th bout.
“He’s 6-1……He lost his last MMA fight so now he’s coming to Boxing and wants to give Boxing a try. I’ll tell you what, I’m going to retire him early”
Interestingly enough, Thad’s initial plan with beginning his Boxing training was for an eventual foray into MMA. Thad’s overall approach and lower center of gravity lent itself well to the sweet science though and Ridsdill decided to ply his trade long term in Boxing. Thad has around 70 Amateur bouts and hasn’t experienced loss nearly as much as victory. His lone pro loss did manage to teach him a lot though. Thad was introspective and dug down deep during a time where he had to regain confidence that his abilities are world class.
Thad seems to have a pretty well rounded mental game as he also articulated on managing the adrenaline of fight day prior to getting in the ring.
“Even just mentally overthinking about some of that will drain your energy….But you’ve got to embrace it…..use it to your advantage….When you go in there, its my will versus his”
Thad also takes a tremendous motivation from his family as him and his partner have a young daughter together. Thad’s mentality on fight day was captured poignantly in one of the final quotes that he gave me.
“When I fight….. the first thing I do is picture my daughter on the other side of him. So he’s the wall between my daughter’s future….When I think of it that way there’s no stopping me. I’m a machine and you’re going to have to put me to sleep or put me down”.
Thad Ridsdill Interview Audio HERE
Lebrun Arena will house a raucous crowd in Bedford, Nova Scotia for a great Boxing card on June 15th. Oshawa pugilists become road warriors and vie for glory on another province’s soil this Saturday night.
