Destiny Boxing’s Valentine Wilson leans on pugilistic pillars for Oktoberfist showdown

KITCHENER —Valentine Wilson, 24, glances over her shoulder and is astounded by the faces she sees.

Donna Mancuso. Mandy Bujold. Kaitlyn Clark.

Three pugilistic pillars of Canadian women’s boxing stand knowingly as coaches in her corner.

Photo credit:  Greg Gaust

A Mount Punchmore of Maple Leaf pride — counting 15 national titles among them — pours its collective wisdom into every Wilson wallop for Destiny Boxing.

“It’s so cool that I have so many legends in my corner,” said Wilson, who aims to punctuate her ring return from a serious shoulder injury by winning the showcase bout of Oktoberfist at SydFit Health Centre on Saturday night.

“Not just legends in the sport, but females. It’s really empowering. Having that support means a lot and makes me believe in myself even more.”

Mancuso, Bujold and Clark believe in Wilson too.

They know her opponent, Ava Fenton of the Brantford Black Eye Boxing Club, has more experience. But Valentine’s Day is fast approaching for the born-on-Halloween recreational therapy student at the University of Waterloo.

“The sky is the limit for Valentine,” said Bujold, a two-time Olympian, double Pan Am Games gold medallist and 11-time national champ.

“She has such an incredible work ethic. She has the mental side of it down.”

And 54 kg of strength and resiliency. Plus a well of boxing acumen Bujold would like to see her dip into more. The growth in her fight game, Mancuso says, has been outstanding.

“Her determination to make herself better is second-to-none,” said Mancuso, a retired Waterloo Regional Police inspector, who used her long arms of the law to collar a pair of national titles.

“Even when Valentine hears things she may not like to hear — I’ll tell you — she takes it all in and uses it to her advantage to get better.”

And just in time for Team Ontario tryouts. She’s been on the provincial squad twice before and recently won a King of the Jungle national tournament in Michigan.

But first, there is Oktoberfist.

The Ottawa native will carefully take off the necklace her late grandmother Donnella gave to her and hand it to a friend.

She knows Donnella will be watching over her when she steps over the ropes.

Three legendary Lionesses are watching and coaching from her corner. Bujold keeps her eye on the technical. Mancuso gravitates towards motivation. Clark lightens things up.

“Kaitlyn always makes it so that it’s fun, like it’s a game,” Wilson says.

“Have fun. Play tag, basically.”

Have fun. Be a sponge. Soak up the wisdom of your legendary coaches. And win, of course.

“Honestly, this fight is just another stop on the path for Valentine to become provincial champ later in the month,” said Clark, twice a national champion.

“I think Valentine is capable of becoming a national champ in the next couple years.”

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