Langley City Boxing's Clash at the Cascades series is proving to be a big hit with fight fans.

The 14th installment of the amateur boxing event, held last Friday at the Coast Hotel and Convention Centre, was the best attended to date.

The card featured exciting matches with pugilists of all ages and genders, said Langley City Boxing manager Dave Allison, who added, "it was truly the best of amateur boxing."

The crowd of 500-plus was entertained by everything from a tyke contest between two 10-year-olds weighing 85 pounds apiece, as well as heavyweights, including one who tipped the scales at 280 pounds.

The main event featured a heavyweight rematch between 6'6" 280-pound "Big" Nate Nowalk of P.O.W.D. against Ritchie Evanochko of Port Kells, who weighed in at 209 pounds.

The two big men gave the audience a spirited fight and in the third round, Nowalk dropped Evanochko during a very heated exchange.

Evanochko would not be denied; he got up and engaged Nowalk without missing a beat, Allison said.

The decision went to Evanochko, as did the City heavyweight title belt.

The semi-main event saw a new star emerge on the local boxing scene as Kylic Taylor of Ocean City Boxing stopped Narinder Akali in two rounds. Akali, of Port Kells, was cut and did not recover. Taylor is the new City super middleweight champion.

In what may have been the best match of the night in Allison's opinion, MadKatz Boxing's Daniel Joseph, the top-ranked welterweight in the area, lost an upset split decision to Josh van Ryhn from Richmond's Harrison Boxing Club.

"The fight was very close and Joseph looked very good, however van Ryhn outworked the flashy number one contender," Allison said.

In an all-Langley matchup, Jordan Leland-Weaver, 18, of City Boxing lost a competitive bout to 19-year-old Jamie Chadwick from Port Kells.

The women's elimination proved to be an exciting pair of matches.

Darcie Nestor of Chilliwack Boxing Club was too aggressive for Jillian Sask of Port Kells and the match was stopped in the second round.

Meanwhile, Jenine Arsends of Revolution Chilliwack won a close decision over Anna Farrant of Action Boxing.

In other Clash 14 bouts:

- Julian Kim of Port Kells won a light heavyweight bout over Kevin Enns of Blue Corner Boxing Club; and

- Sixteen-year-old Robbie Anger from Blue Corner lost a decision to Raj Johal, 17, of Harrison Boxing Club in a light heavyweight contest.

Last Friday's event was a fundraiser for an amateur hockey team.

Ingo Schubert, a hockey coach who is also coaches boxing, competed and won a split decision over Caleb Wietzel in a very spirited bout.

The tykes saw Matteo Della Penna face Connor Hollingshead in a very good match between 10-year-olds.

The hockey team got a hundred tickets and all the proceeds from the 50/50 draw.

The show was hosted by Langley City Boxing and was a great success, according to Allison.

"Thanks to the folks at the Coast Convention Centre, amateur boxing is making a comeback," Allison added.

Another factor, in Allison's opinion, is COMBSPORT (The British Columbia Combative Sports Association) that sanctions the events and provides the officials.

"About 550 people came out and it was great," Allison added.

The next show is scheduled for March 2 at the Coast Hotel and Convention Centre.

"We will have more of our boxers on the card, but this was our best card to date," Alllison said.

Anyone interested in amateur boxing in Langley can call Langley City Boxing at 604-530-7897.