Leo Laferriere describes his past self as "a no-good kind of rebel kid."
Many nights he would leave home looking for trouble around the familiar neighbourhoods of Pemberton. His grades were low, as was his confidence. Team sports provided some kind of outlet, but the youngster's primary position was usually benchwarmer. He wasn't in a good place, and he knew it.
That's why Laferriere stepped foot inside the Whistler Boxing Club at 15 years of age.
When veteran head coach Sasha Gier first laid eyes on his new pupil, he saw a quiet, polite young man with a knack for painting—but not necessarily for punching. Of course, some fighters don't fit the stereotypical look of a combat athlete, so he decided to humour Laferriere's obvious interest in boxing.
Gier looks for three key attributes in every competitor: technical skill, mental toughness and physical strength. Laferriere displayed flashes of the first two immediately.
"Leo showed amazing ability—and I'm not afraid of using the word 'amazing' [to describe] his technical boxing," Gier recalled. "He was picking up stuff right on the spot. Anything I was asking him to do, he would."
Roughly a year after that first workout, Laferriere entered his first amateur bout on Sept. 15 in Chilliwack: the Bronze Gloves Boxing Championship. There, he outfought and outmaneuvered Vancouverite David Sigua to earn the Junior C 60-kilogram title.
'Where I'm supposed to be'
How did this unassuming, artistic maverick establish himself as a legitimate prospect?
Well, he trusted the process. Improving at a brisk rate through Whistler Boxing Club sessions, Laferriere quickly readied himself for more difficult fare at Griffins Boxing in North Vancouver. There, he began sparring against ex-competitive fighters and members of the provincial team.
At that point, the missing link in Laferriere's toolbox was physicality. He was outmatched by many of his stronger and more experienced opponents, yet his will remained undimmed.
"The fighters at Griffins are totally next-level," said the Pemberton native. "They have a lot more opportunities than us Whistler guys. I've noticed that they like brawling more. [For me], it's about good defence. I've been trying to take care of my head."
Laferriere, now 16, hasn’t given up art for boxing. Much the opposite: drawing and painting helped him cut weight for his inaugural bout by giving him something to focus on besides the temptation to overeat. Still, he inevitably felt nervous as his family drove him to Chilliwack for the big night.
"My legs were shaking. I felt like everything was sucked away from me,” he remembered. “When I started walking into the gym, I was like, ‘Crap, man, I'm fighting, I'm fighting. It's happening!' But as soon as I saw the ring lights, all my nerves went away. It was where I'm supposed to be."
Stick and move
Sigua was not an easy foe. Despite being shorter than Laferriere, he's a well-built athlete with strength to compliment his aggression. Furthermore, Sigua is a southpaw, meaning his lead right hand is naturally positioned to block the left jab of an orthodox boxer.
Fortunately, Laferriere executed the game plan. Each time he threw his cross at Sigua's chest, before punctuating the exchange with a jab or hook. Beyond that, it was constant evasive movement to nullify Sigua’s power and swarming tactics.
Men's amateur boxing matches involve a trio of three-minute rounds. After Round 2, Laferriere went to his corner and reported that his conditioning was "an eight out of 10." Gier urged him to empty his tank, getting further ahead on the judges' scorecards even if a knockout opportunity didn't present itself.
Laferriere answered the bell. His footwork remained precise and beautiful late into the bout, and he consistently managed to frustrate Sigua's attack. It all led to a decisive win…but not one the Pembertonian is willing to rest on.
"I'm very happy about my victory, but as for the performance, there's always stuff to work on," said Laferriere. "I definitely want to work on putting my chin down more—that's a big one, and my guard. I felt like there were times when I should have gotten hit, but my opponent didn't hit me."
It requires maturity to be constructively critical of oneself after a milestone, but Gier isn't surprised by that reaction from his student, whom he describes as "a pleasant, young, respectful, strong boxer" and a role model for others in the Whistler Boxing Club.
In turn, Laferriere likens Gier to a father figure.
"Sasha straightened me up plenty," he said. "Now I'm studying more, training more and I'm more focused. Sasha's definitely more than just a boxing coach."
Laferriere's next match will take place Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. in a venue he knows well: Griffins Boxing.
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