In the quiet moments before the bell, Kody Couillonneur stood outside the ropes and tried to steady his breathing.<\/p>\n
The crowd in Regina was loud, the lights bright, and the weight of the moment heavy. For the first time, the Meadow Lake boxer was about to step into a sanctioned bout \u2014 not just any fight, but the co-main event at a Jaguar Boxing Club show on Dec. 13.<\/p>\n
Read more:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was very nerve-wracking,\u201d Couillonneur said. \u201cEven just standing outside the ring waiting was tough.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moments later, he climbed through the ropes and found a sense of calm.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs soon as I got in there, it\u2019s almost like I felt better,\u201d he said. \u201cI could just see my opponent and the rest. It really helped me focus.\u201d<\/p>\n
Couillonneur, who weighed in at about 85 kilograms, was giving up size against Charles Ago of the MBF Boxing Club, a physically larger fighter who had cut significant weight to make the 90-kilogram limit.<\/p>\n
Coach Quenten Demers said Ago entered the ring as the hometown favourite, backed by a loud Regina crowd and a reputation for power.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey planned on taking Kody out early with Ago\u2019s power,\u201d Demers said.<\/p>\n
Watching from ringside, Demers described a fight that unfolded very differently than expected.<\/p>\n
From the opening bell, Demers said, Couillonneur took the centre of the ring, pressing forward behind jabs to the body and keeping Ago backed toward the ropes. Ago responded with flurries of wild overhand punches, many of which were blocked as Couillonneur stayed composed under pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like I did great,\u201d Couillonneur said. \u201cLike I had the guy backed up a lot of the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pace, Demers recalled, was steady and demanding. In the second round, Couillonneur continued to apply pressure, working to the body. Ago landed some clean shots of his own, but began to tire as the bout went on.<\/p>\n
By the third round, Couillonneur was settling into his rhythm and beginning to string together combinations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last round, it was tough,\u201d Couillonneur said. \u201cSuper hard, the lungs were burning. I gave it everything I had.\u201d<\/p>\n
The judges awarded the first two rounds to Ago and the third to Couillonneur. When the decision was read, Ago took the win and was later named best boxer of the evening.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe outcome wasn\u2019t what I hoped for,\u201d Couillonneur said. \u201cI ended up losing, but it was a great learning experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sport helped with physical and mental health<\/p>\n
For Couillonneur, the fight marked the culmination of just over a year of training at Demers Boxing, a gym he joined after hearing about it from his coach while working at a local sawmill.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I started, I didn\u2019t think boxing would be like a big part of my life, but now it is,\u201d he said. \u201cLike I\u2019m super happy I started.\u201d<\/p>\n
He credits the sport with reshaping both his physical and mental health.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s helped me become a healthier person,\u201d Couillonneur said. \u201cIt\u2019s actually super good for the mental too. Like sometimes it\u2019s just nice to get in there and hit a bag really hard, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
Competing has also forced him to rethink his conditioning.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought my cardio was super good, but when you get in the ring with somebody for real, it changes things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Next fight in January<\/p>\n
That lesson is already shaping his next chapter.<\/p>\n
Couillonneur is preparing for his second bout on Jan. 17 at the Meadow Lake Civic Centre, where Demers Boxing will host its first home club card.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had tons of support from local people and people at work,\u201d he said. \u201cSo I\u2019m just super excited to show them the fruits of my labour.\u201d<\/p>\n
Several other boxers are also slated to compete on the card, including Chazz Morin, Marcus Abbott, Issabella Demers and Havanna Demers.<\/p>\n
Demers Boxing says it is flying in an opponent from Waterloo, Ont., for Havanna Demers \u2014 Brooklyn Kaufman, a 2025 Canadian bronze medalist, 2024 Ontario Golden Gloves champion, 2024 U.S. Women\u2019s National silver medalist, and the 2024 Golden Gloves tournament champion in Sweden.<\/p>\n
And now, with the nerves of a first fight behind him, Couillonneur is already looking ahead, back to the gym, back to training, and back into the ring.<\/p>\n