Balteiro to miss World Championships

KINGSVILLE — Boxing coach Doug Patterson was hoping to have his first world champion next month, but the COVID-19 pandemic has dashed those hopes.

Local boxer, Tiago Balteiro, was one of two Canadian boxers chosen to represent Canada at the World Youth Boxing Championships, which are being held in Kielce, Poland in April.

Recently, the Canadian contingent decided not to send their athletes due to the pandemic.

Balteiro, who boxes out of the Fighting Island Boxing Club in Amherstburg, and trains at Seng’s Martial Arts and Fitness in Kingsville, was expected to fare well in the 91 kg weight class.

Canadian champion boxer, Tiago Balteiro, seen with his coach, Doug Patterson of Kingsville.

Photo courtesy of Jacky Patterson

Balteiro is ranked in the top ten in the world and is a two-time Canadian champion and also an Ontario Golden Gloves champion.

His father, Gil Balteiro, was a bronze medallist at the worlds in 1992. Patterson was his coach as well.

“I was hoping to finally have my first world champion,” said Patterson. “But it wasn’t meant to be this year.”

Patterson was a founder of the Kingsville Boxing Club.

For Balteiro, he will continue training, as he has been throughout the past year, with hopes of getting a shot at a world title once the world gets back to normal.

Balteiro has been fortunate to be one of Canada’s ‘carded athletes’, which means that some of his training expenses are covered. He recently decided not to attend a boxing camp in Montreal, and that camp was eventually shut down because of a COVID outbreak.

“He was lucky,” said Patterson.