‘Here to be a world champion’: Saanich boxer heads south for heavyweight bout
Published 12:00 pm Thursday, January 22, 2026
Just two months after a bruising WBC title fight in Victoria ended in a no contest, Brandon Colantonio is heading south for another shot at a championship.
Colantonio (6-1) will face Esera Iosefa (4-1) for a regional heavyweight title on Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Arena Wars Fighting Series in Salem, Oregon.
The 29-year-old brings lessons of his November bout into his preparation, which comes with a quick turnaround, but one that didn’t deter him from agreeing to the fight.
“It’s a nice quick turnaround, but I’m in shape and I feel great,” Colantonio said. “I’m gonna go in there, do my thing, put on a good performance and take a belt home, back to Canada. It’s always cool to represent Victoria in a positive way and show that us Canadians can do great things in this sport.”
Colantonio’s WBC fight against Jaye Byard at Victoria’s Bay Street Armoury ended after a cut to Byard forced the referee to stop the bout, leading to the no contest decision.
Colantonio, listed at 6’4”, said the experience only strengthened his resolve.
“That fight was a war,” he said. “I overcame a lot personally: My nose was broken, we were both bleeding profusely, but I was in the gym literally the next day. This is my love, my passion. I’m here to become a world champion, and I want to bring a world title to the Island. If you’re going to do that, you can’t feel sorry for yourself.”
The upcoming fight presents a different challenge. Iosefa fights orthodox, compared to the southpaw-oriented Byard.
Colantonio has been training with longtime coach Jason Heit, owner of Island Boxing and Island MMA, to adapt his approach.
“It’s about doing what I do best: move, hit, take angles, keep him at range, make him miss and make him pay,” he said.
Heit said Colantonio’s work ethic and discipline make him a fighter to watch.
“Brandon is continuing to progress, develop and climb the rankings,” Heit said. “He’s fighting for a regional title in the Pacific Northwest. This is an important fight for him and I’m confident in his ability due to his hard work.”
The relationship between fighter and coach spans more than a decade, and Colantonio said it shows in the ring.
“We’ve been training together for 15 years,” he said. “There’s stuff he doesn’t even need to say that I know what to do. His preparation for fighting is unmatched. If you ever watch him in the corner with me, you won’t hear him talk much. He just says the things that count.”
Colantonio said fighting away from home adds intensity, but he thrives under pressure.
“When I’m in there, I’m kind of like Batman,” he said. “Outside the ring, I’m Brandon Colantonio, the friendly-guy. In there, I’m dangerous. I come in to fight, and I’ll always fight my heart out. It’s kill or be killed.”
For Colantonio, it’s another opportunity to climb the ladder.
“The key is not to be there for his right hand, move, snipe, use my jab effectively, and take angles,” he said. “I’m feeling really good right now. There’s no excuse not to fight to my ability and get the job done.”
Saturday’s fight is one of seven on the Arena Wars card at Salem Armory Auditorium, beginning at 7 p.m.
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