Lacroix going for gold

By Sean Rooney on March 31, 2018.

Medicine Hat News

Janick Lacroix has his shot.

At the national junior boxing championships in Edmonton Friday, the Medicine Hat Boxing Club fighter beat B.C.’s Elias Martinez to advance to Sunday’s final against Saskatchewan’s Thomas Gordon.

After losing last year’s final in Quebec, Lacroix is back in position in the 70 kilogram division against a fighter he’s seen before —albeit a couple of years ago.

“He’s a tough kid, Thomas Gordon, a big tall kid, probably 6-foot-2,” said Hat coach Kerry Fahlman via cellphone. “(Janick) beat him in probably his third or fourth fight.”

Lacroix would’ve been 14 years old then, however, so it’s safe to say not much can be garnered from that experience. Both have grown immeasurably both from a physical and technical standpoint.

The Hat boxer — who stopped Quebec’s Mathys Fenkham in the third round of Wednesday’s quarter-final —was taken to the scorecards Friday by Martinez. The two have fought three times recently and though Lacroix won them all, it was always close.

The scorecard Friday was a unanimous decision.

“Tough kid, we knew they’d change him up and they did but Janick adapted to him well,” said Fahlman. “It wasn’t his best fight but he did enough to win.”

Gordon beat Ontario’s Tanner Grass, who along with Martinez had a bye into the semifinals. He’d won over Alberta’s Ethan Pasek in the quarter-final round.

Lacroix will fight for gold Sunday afternoon.

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