Dreams and determination: Red Tribe Boxing’s voyage to Las Vegas

ESKASONI — "I'm really excited. I'm really nervous, but this is a really huge opportunity for me and the rest of the fighters," says Aleah Young, a 16-year-old boxer from Red Tribe Boxing in Eskasoni, capturing the anticipation and apprehension she feels ahead of the journey of a lifetime.

Young, along with her teammates from Red Tribe Boxing and two boxers from Oromocto, N.B., are getting ready to head south on a trip to compete at the 2024 Box Fan Expo in Las Vegas.

The seventh annual Box Fan Expo, taking place this Saturday, celebrates boxing's rich history and current popular culture, offering fans and fighters the chance to engage directly with legends of the sport.

For Young and teammates Lester Peck, Landon Francis, and Dylan Francis, this is more than just a trip; it's a learning experience and a chance to compete in their sport internationally.

Coach Barry Bernard sees this event as a milestone, not just for the athletes but also for their cultural heritage. He says that more than winning, the goal of this trip is to inspire his fighters and introduce the world boxing scene to the Mi'kmaq.

"It's going to be history. Las Vegas is known to be the fighting capital of the world. If you want to get recognized as a boxer, you go to Las Vegas," he said.

"It's an opportunity to show not only who Red Tribe Boxing is but also to show the United States that we are Mi'kmaw people from Canada. We are still here. We still speak the language. We still practise the culture, and we also love boxing."

Young is set to become the first female Mi'kmaw boxer to compete in Las Vegas. The gravity of this moment is not lost on her, saying she knows how big of an opportunity she has to represent her club.

Still, she's also focused on the chance to experience the conference and the city, known as a mecca for boxing.

"I'm feeling really excited. I'm really nervous, but this is a really huge opportunity for me and the rest of the fighters," she said.

"But win or lose, I still get to go to Las Vegas. I still get to experience this opportunity. I'm really excited, more than nervous, but I still have those feelings."

All of the attending fighters will participate in amateur boxing matches against fighters from all over the U.S.

Young says she doesn't know much about her planned opponent, yet.

"I’m pretty sure she has had nine fights until now, but I don’t know much," she said. "I think she’s from California."

Her journey, like those of her teammates, was made possible through community support and personal determination. Bernard says each travelling fighter and the coaches had to raise around $2,000 each to make it to Las Vegas.

"The boxers and coaches going to Vegas have fundraised to make it happen. We don't have an open chequebook, and there's no one paying our way down," he said. “These guys all had to fundraise around $2,000 just to get there."

Bernard says the rest of his boxers — especially Peck, the youngest in the group — are looking forward to gaining invaluable experience.

"I'm also taking the youngest guy in my club, he's 14 years old, he's going to get some awesome experience out there," said Bernard. "It will be something they're talking about in their circles when they grow up: 'Hey, I went and fought in Las Vegas.'"

Bernard says to a boxer Las Vegas is like a whole other world, and there's no telling how his team of boxers will react when they see it for themselves.

"When they see the lights, the people, the shows, everything. Its going to be hard to describe what their feelings will be when they experience the life of Las Vegas."

The event isn't only about competition or the conference, but also about education and interaction. Fighters will have the opportunity to meet boxing stars, promoters, doctors, trainers and industry professionals of all kinds.

For these young athletes, it's also a chance to potentially catch the eyes of promoters and scouts, and possibly change the direction of their boxing careers.

Mitchell Ferguson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post