INTERNATIONAL COACHES

Socrates Celestial

Socrates has been coaching boxing for over 20 years and is currently a coach at the Kombat Arts Training Academy aka Kombat Boxing in Mississauga. In the past decade he has been a Provincial Coach and worked on technical, high performance, and coaching committees. Socrates has also traveled to several countries for boxing and contributed countless volunteer hours to see the evolution of boxing in Ontario. He is a Level 3 Boxing Ontario Coach and obtained his IBA 2-Star coaching course.

Career Highlights:

• Coached at the IBA Worlds Tournament and coached one athlete to win gold as well as fighter of the tournament
• Led Ontario as a Provincial Coach in several provinces
• Led Team Ontario to performing at the highest rate of medal counts and gold medals (which places athletes on the national team) in 15 years during his role as Provincial Coach
• Coached athletes to win local fights, provincials, nationals, and Olympic qualifiers, with some of these athletes going to Crandall University and others going pro

Ibrahim Kamal, ChPC

Ibrahim began boxing in 1996 and is the co-founder of MJKO Boxing Club in South Parkdale, Toronto where he is the Assistant Coach. He began his coaching career after retiring from competitive boxing and is currently a certified Level 5 boxing coach and completed the IBA 1-Star coaching course. In addition to coaching, Ibrahim is also a Level 3 Boxing Ontario Referee and Judge.

Career Highlights:

• 8X Canadian National Boxing Champion
• Competed at the Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games, numerous World Championships, Olympic qualifiers, and various international tournaments
• Total of 132 amateur bouts, 12 professional bouts

Miranda Kamal, ChPC

Miranda is the co-founder and Head Coach of MJKO Boxing Club in Toronto. She began boxing in 2005, going on to compete in 2007. She was forced to hang up the gloves due to injury, causing her to change her focus to coaching. Miranda is a Level 5 boxing coach and also holds her IBA 2-Star international certificate. She is also currently a Level 1 Boxing Ontario Referee and Judge.

Career Highlights:

• Multi-sport athlete winning national medals, participated as an athlete in two Canada Games (1991 – PEI, 1995 – AB), competed internationally, and won an Atlantic Olympic Test Event in another sport
• IBA, Caribbean Coaches Seminar with Ray Silvas, Jamaica 2020
• Team Next Gen, Boxing Canada Evaluation Camp, 2021
• Gloves Over Guns Grassroots Initiative with the Jamaica Boxing Board of Control & Canadian Government, Montego Bay, Jamaica, 2020
• Coached Team Ontario at largest International Female Sparring Camp, Edenderry, Ireland, 2017
• Recipient of several coaching and volunteer awards

Richard Souce

Richard is the founder of Stockyards Boxing and Fitness in Toronto and has been boxing since the age of 15. He has been owner/coach at Stockyards Boxing and Fitness since 2011 and is currently a Level 2 certified boxing coach. Richard began his coaching career in 2006 after retiring from competitive boxing.

Career Highlights:

• National Amateur Champion
• Provincial Champion (Best Boxer at the Tournament) Golden Gloves Champion
• Ranked #1 as a Professional Boxer by the Canadian Professional Boxing Federation, #5 by the World Boxing Council Continental Americas, and #9 by the North American Boxing Federation
• Fought world champions Hector Camacho, Joey Gamache and Harry Arroyo
• Coach at HP training Camp in Montreal 2021

PROVINCIAL COACHES

Iryna Blazey, CSCS

Iryna began her boxing career as an athlete in Ukraine as well as graduating with a Physical Education and Training degree. She went on to become a professional boxer in Germany. Iryna is the Owner and Head Coach of Blaze Performance Training in Orangeville. She is currently a Level 2 Boxing Ontario Coach and a Level 1 Boxing Ontario Official. In addition, she was granted a Boxing Coach Certification by the Moscow Department of Education.

Career Highlights:

• Former amateur boxer in Ukraine – bronze and silver medalist
• Former National Ukrainian amateur Muay Thai Champion
• Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA)
• Certified Speed and Agility Specialist (International Youth Conditioning Association)

Tom Hennessey

Tom began his boxing career in 1972 as an athlete before becoming a coach and official in 1982. He started Bluewater Boxing Club in Sarnia in 1995 which has hosted 40 club shows, 10 Provincial Championships, 8 National Championships, and 9 International Dual Meets.

Career Highlights:

• 7X Provincial Coach and 4X Provincial Team Manager, including 1995 Canada Games
• 3X National Coach
• Club has produced 40 Provincial, 19 National, 10 International Medalist and 1 World Championship

Raymond Napper

Ray began boxing at the age of 12 and competed for 8 years and became the head coach of Napper’s Boxing Club in 2001. During his time as a coach, he has had several Ontario and Canadian champions. In addition, Ray has been involved in an international dual match in Puerto Rico. He is a Level 3 Boxing Ontario coach and IBA 1-Star coach.

Career Highlights:

• Won 4 Brampton Cups, 3 Junior Ontario Championships, and the 2000 Canadian Junior Champion at 71kg
• Head Coach of Ontario’s Youth and Junior teams for two years
• Two-time winner of the Coach of the Year in the City of Welland

Peter Yannacoureas

Peter brings a wealth of boxing experience to the team with over 70 years in the sport. He is the Head Coach at Valley East Boxing Club and is a Level 5 Boxing Ontario Coach, IBA 2-Star Coach, and a Level 3 Boxing Ontario Official.

Career Highlights:

• Head Coach of the Youth Ontario Olympic Team, 1975-76-77
• Head Coach of Canada in international trips: Bermuda, Finland, and three times in Greece
• Coached at training camps in Cuba
• Helped in the organization of Olympic Games in his native Greece in 2004
• Participated in Olympic training camp of Greek and Cuba, Athens 2004
• Participated in organization of the Olympic Trial and Canadian Championship, 1976 in Sudbury
• Organized the Finland-USA-Canada competition in Copper Cliff, Sudbury ON, 1978
• Developed many Ontario, Canadian, and Golden Glove champions in Canada and USA