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November 22, 2013

A Boxing Boilermaker

A Boilermaker and one-time Canadian Middleweight Champion, Brother Lawrence Hafey of Lodge 73, was recently inducted into the Nova Scotia Boxing Hall of Fame. Lawrence professionally fought 73 bouts all across Canada, the USA, Italy and England, starting in 1967. He retired from the ring in 1981 with a record of 48-23-2.

In 1973, Hafey won the Eastern Canada Welterweight Boxing Championship in a 2nd round TKO over Don Boulter of PEI.

One adventure Lawrence had was in 1974 - 38 rounds of boxing in four bouts on two continents in 27 days, going 2-2:

• November 16th - Brockton, Mass,
• November 18th - Boston, Mass,
• December 2nd - he fought future 3 time world champion Wilfredo Benitez at Madison Square Gardens in New York, and
• December 13th - Milan, Italy - he fought another future world Champion, Bruno Arcari.

Lawrence became the Canadian Middleweight Champion in 1975, a 12 round decision over Champion Dave Downey. In 1979, he fought the European champion Dave Green.

Lawrence Hafey was inducted into the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame in 1985, and the Pictou County Hall of Fame in 1992. The IBB history book "Grace under Pressure" recognized what he accomplished in the ring.

Lawrence said "Boxing was my sport, just as hockey or football is some other fellow's sport, I just loved the action in the ring". He explained how he got started in the sport - "the neighbour kids would always be playing around with boxing gloves, the next thing we knew we were in a gym, and it went from there."

In 1982, Lawrence became a member of Lodge 73; he was introduced to the trade and union by friends. What he likes about the trade are "the good fellows you meet, you become best friends, and it is a true Brotherhood."

Lawrence stills stays in shape by working out and when he retires from the Boilermakers next year, he will be opening a gym in Stellarton, NS, along with another Canadian Boxing Champion to coach the next up-and-comers in the sport.

Checkout Brother Hafey in the ring below:

Lawrence Hafey is not the first Boilermaker in Canada who achieved success in the ring, according to the writers of "Grace under Fire".

• William Calvin, International President (1954-1962), worked as a Boilermaker and professional boxer in the 1920's in Eastern Canada,
• E. Heatherington of Local 126 in Winnipeg, 1930s, boxed throughout Canada,
• Don Chisholm of Local 128 lasted three rounds in a title fight against Canadian Champion Blair Richardson in 1965, and
• Billy McGrandle of Lodge 146 won the Canadian Featherweight Championship in 1966 at 18 and retired with a 23-6-1 professional record.

Other notable Boilermakers who spent time in the ring are:

• Jim "The Boilermaker" Jeffries was considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers ever 1899-1905, and
• Jack Dempsey, Heavyweight Champion (1919-1926), is in the top ten of all-time boxers according to Rink Magazine.