Butler snags gold at national boxing tourney

Carter Butler and Mitchell Lahey brought home a pair medals from the 2018 Junior Super Channel Boxing National Championships while representing the Conception Bay South Boxing Club.

Carter Butler from CBS and Mitchell Lahey from Tors Cove brought home a silver and a gold medal, respectively, from the national championships in Edmonton, Alberta held from March 28 to April 1. The gold medal brought home by 14-year-old Butler represents the first national championship won by a CBS Boxing Club athlete since Colin Morgan won gold in 2003.

“I worked hard for it,” said Butler. “If it wasn’t for my father and my coach I wouldn’t have done as good.”

Butler took on two bouts at the national championship on his way to the gold medal — one against a fellow CBS Boxing Club member.

“That was kind of hard,” admitted Butler.

A win against an opponent from Ontario earned him the gold medal, a win which Butler said is the highlight of his boxing career — a sport he began training at just eight-years-old.

“I felt awesome, I felt like I owned the world,” said Butler, laughing. “(Nationals) was probably one of the best weeks I’ve had all year.”

Lahey came home with a silver medal from the national championships after losing a close bout with an Ontario opponent. However, the talented boxer said that he is looking forward to redemption at the Canada Winter Games next February.

“That’s what we’re training for now,” said Lahey who started boxing competitively last October. The 15-year-old Mobile High student comes from a family of boxers, including his three younger brothers, Brian, Alexander and Brandon.

Conception Bay South Boxing Club President Randell Rideout said Lahey worked hard and put on a good showing despite not getting the nod from the judges after his championship bout. The young Tors Cove Boxer said he worked hard to train for the event.

“Not really, I’ve had tougher,” Lahey said when asked if he had a tough fight.

Rideout said both Lahey and Butler both trained hard for the event and were thrilled to have the opportunity to compete.

“It was like they won the lottery,” said Rideout.