Hundreds of loud, passionate spectators packed the gym at F.H. Collins Secondary School Saturday, for the opening night of the Western Canadian Amateur Boxing Championships.

It was a sign of just how popular the sport of boxing remains among Yukoners, as children, teenagers and adults shouted encouragement or in some cases, offered up disappointed boos.

The championships were held as a test event for the 2007 Canada Winter Games and while Troy Malcolm, Kevin Mendelsohn and Adam and Jarrod Nolan were certainly the hometown favourites, competitors from Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan also entertained the crowd.

Athletes fought in cadet, junior and senior categories, ranging in weight from 119 pounds to 201-plus.

In the preliminary rounds on Saturday, B.C.'s Mike Cartwright and Saskatchewan's Anthony Louison provided what may have been the most evenly-matched fight at the championships, going punch for punch for four impressive rounds in the 201-lbs. senior category. Both fighters were left more than a little drained by the end of it.

'There was some very, very good boxing,' said Harvey Reti, head coach of the Yukon Amateur Boxing Association. 'Some of these top boxers are going to do very well when they get to the Canadian championships.'

All four Yukon boxers got a fight in on Saturday, with 13 bouts on the card. Competing in the 201-lbs. senior category, Mendelsohn lost his bout to B.C.'s Korbin Nicholai while Malcolm dropped a decision to Alberta's Eric Tevely in the 165-lbs. division.

Adam took on B.C.'s Josh Profit (201-plus) in the second-last matchup of the night, forcing Profit to retire to his corner with several flurries of heavy hits. The last bout, also in the 201-plus category, was between Adam's brother Jarrod and B.C. boxer John Campbell.

After three rounds, the decision went to the referees, who gave Campbell a narrow victory although many people in the crowd clearly disagreed.

The finals were held on Sunday, and two Yukoners Adam and Malcolm were involved in the nine bouts.

Despite a respectable performance, Malcolm once again found himself on the losing end of his fight, this time against B.C.'s AJ Hazi.

'(Sunday), I was a lot more pleased,' said Malcolm, who still picked up a silver medal for his efforts. 'I listened to my coaches and did exactly what I was supposed to do. I treated it like a sparring match.

'It was tougher yesterday. (Tevely) was a bit of a brawler, but it was something new for me so it was good.'

In the last bout Sunday afternoon, Adam took on Campbell and got some good shots in before being knocked down and out of the contest. Adam also came away with a silver medal, but more than anything, said Reti, gained valuable experience.

'(The Yukon boxers) all did well, considering for two of them (Adam and Jarrod), it was the first fights they've had,' commented the coach. 'The other ones have only been in four fights.

'Compare that to the boxers from down south, who over the same time period, have probably been in up to 20. This was good experience for our boys.'

B.C.'s Campbell, who was competing at his first event in years, gave full credit to the Nolan brothers. The Kelowna resident said both of them were extremely tough fighters, adding he 'got rocked a few times.'

'(Jarrod), he really fought a great fights. He was a really aggressive, hard-hitting boxer. It was touch and go for me at first, but I managed to come back in the third round and win on points. Today, I wasn't as hesitant because I got most of the nerves out.

'But both those brothers, man, they're really heavy hitters. Trust me.'

Campbell, who was able to visit a few friends of his while in Whitehorse, said the organizers of the Western championships did a great job, pointing out how hospitable Yukoners were.

'Everyone went out of their way to make us all feel welcome.'

The only noticeable problem over the weekend occurred during the last bout on Saturday night, when the middle of the ring started to collapse.

Reti said there will probably be a different ring used at the Canada Games next February, adding staff and volunteers associated with the boxing events will do everything necessary to ensure there won't be any problems with the floors in the ring.

'I thought everything went very well overall. It will give us time now to iron out some of the wrinkles.'

Next up on the agenda, Reti is hoping to take a local boxing team to the Bronze Gloves competition in Edmonton at the end of this month. He'll also continue working on the growth of the club, pointing out he had several people inquire about joining over the weekend.

'Now how long they'll actually stay, I'm not sure. But the more people we can get out trying it, the better it is for the club.'