logo
Windsor boxer hopes recent national title helps punch path toward 2028 L.A. Olympics

Windsor boxer hopes recent national title helps punch path toward 2028 L.A. Olympics

Yahoo10-06-2025
Rosalind 'Soup' Canty says ever since the first few first fights she saw live, she knew she wanted to be a boxer.
"I was sitting next to my grandpa, and I was like, 'I need to do this,'" said the now 21-year-old fighter.
She's been around the sport her whole life: Both her parents boxed and coached.
But fresh off a gold medal at an Under 23 women's national championship in Quebec, Canty says it took quite a long time to convince her dad to allow her to get into the sport.
Her mother, Margaret Sidoroff-Canty, won several amateur and professional titles during a short but decorated career in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Her dad, Josh, now serves as one of Rosalind's coaches.
"He's the best coach in the world," she told Windsor Morning host Amy Dodge.
"I'm just super lucky to have him in my corner because he's as committed to my training as I am," she said.
"He said that the only way he was going to train me is if it was for soccer, so he started training me just to get in shape for soccer," she said. "And then I started sparring and I had my first fight April of 2022."
She trains out of the Border City Boxing Club in Windsor, Ont., and also works out across the border in Detroit, Mich.
WATCH | Rosalind 'Soup' Canty trains in Windsor, Ont.:
Canty has 55 fights under her belt in a fairly short period of time.
"I've had a lot of fights," in roughly three years, she said.
Aside from her recent gold, Canty also recently trained in Montreal with the national team after being carded as one of the top four female fighters of all weight classes in Canada, she says.
"I have to go there multiple times to work on my training, get good sparring and get assessed by the national team coaches — [it's] amazing."
Now she's eyeing the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics to represent her country.
"That's the goal," she said.
Canty says her pump up song before a fight is "Around the World" by Daft Punk to "get moving," saying it reminds her of how she felt when she first started watching boxing matches.
"Was just so high energy and everyone yelling … was just surreal. It was crazy."
According to Canty, like her parents, she makes sure to try and help others out with their training.
"I train a bunch of kids at the gym and there's a couple of little girls that really look up to me and I'm in love [with them]."
Canty says she got the nickname "Soup" from her dad while growing up playing soccer.
She says he used to call her "Super Ras."
That was shortened to "Soup" because it was a little too long to yell while she was on the field, and that's now translated into her boxing career.
Canty says her next fight will more than likely be later this month as part of a local Border City Boxing Club card.
"It's a really nice community, surprisingly, since the sport is literally punching people in the face."
Canty says she believes boxing is important for young people, especially girls, because it teaches them how to protect themselves and instills mental confidence.
"To not be scared if you're alone out in a dangerous situation," she said. "I think even if you don't want your kid to fight, I think boxing is a skill that most people …should learn. I think it's important."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Former Olympic champion Mu-Nikolayev fails in worlds bid
Former Olympic champion Mu-Nikolayev fails in worlds bid

Yahoo

time24 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Former Olympic champion Mu-Nikolayev fails in worlds bid

Former Olympic and world champion Athing Mu-Nikolayev suffered disappointment in her bid to qualify for the World Championships on Friday after being eliminated in the semi-finals of the 800m at the US Track and Field Championships. Mu-Nikolayev took the world by storm in 2021, winning a dazzling 800m gold at the Tokyo Olympics and a gold in the 4x400m relay just months after turning professional. She added World Championship gold to her tally in 2022. However, Mu-Nikolayev has struggled to recapture that kind of form in the years since, notably suffering a fall in the final of US Olympic trials last year that prevented her from defending her title in Paris. Mu-Nikolayev, 23, had run only two 800m this season prior to this week's championships at Eugene, Oregon, including a 10th place finish in the Prefontaine Classic last month. She had looked comfortable in the opening round on Thursday, qualifying second fastest overall in 2min 0.06sec. However, she found the going tougher in Friday's semi-finals, finishing fourth in her race in a time of 1:59.79. That time was not good enough to see her advance as one of the fastest losers. "Like I said, this is a big stepping stone for me this year," Mu-Nikolayev said after her exit. "Just still coming out here and prepared for whatever was going to happen, and being content with whatever was going to happen. "I think that's helpful for what I need going for next couple of years. Everything's not going to be pretty, everything's not going to be perfect," she added. "I just have to make sure that I'm not too shaken by old things that happen and occur, and I don't always hold onto those things." rcw/js

MacKenzie Weegar Named to Team Canada Orientation Camp — Olympic Hopes Still Alive
MacKenzie Weegar Named to Team Canada Orientation Camp — Olympic Hopes Still Alive

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

MacKenzie Weegar Named to Team Canada Orientation Camp — Olympic Hopes Still Alive

Calgary Flames defenceman MacKenzie Weegar has officially been invited to Team Canada's National Teams Orientation Camp, set for August 26–28 in Calgary — another important step toward potentially representing his country on the world's biggest hockey stage. The camp serves as a precursor to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, and includes a select group of NHL blueliners being evaluated for Canada's national roster. It's a welcomed nod for Weegar, who was in strong consideration for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off but ultimately didn't crack the lineup. Now, he's right back in the mix — and for good reason. The list of defencemen invited to camp includes some of the best Canadian blueliners in the game: Cale Makar, Drew Doughty, Aaron Ekblad, Josh Morrissey, Evan Bouchard, and others. With Olympic spots at a premium, every name on the list brings elite-level pedigree. Weegar's recent play and international resume have earned him a legitimate spot among them. Weegar, 31, is coming off a solid year with the Flames, notching 8 goals and 47 points in 81 games with a +18 rating while logging top-pair minutes. He leads by example on and off the ice and was arguably Calgary's most consistent defencemen. He continues to draw praise as a future captain candidate. This isn't Weegar's first brush with the national team. He suited up for Canada at the 2025 IIHF Men's World Championship, bringing experience and poise to the blue line on international ice. His strong play at that tournament only bolstered his case as a well-rounded defender who can adjust quickly to different systems, teammates, and roles — a valuable trait in short tournament formats like the Olympics. It's not just about points, although Weegar's offensive totals were impressive. His real value lies in his versatility. He plays both sides, handles tough defensive assignments, can chip in on special teams, and thrives in high-pressure situations. His mix of grit, smarts, and adaptability make him a perfect fit for the grind of international competition. He's the kind of player coaches trust — and that might be just what gets him over the hump. Making Team Canada is never easy, especially on defence where the talent pool is deep and the expectations are sky-high. Still, Weegar's trajectory is trending in the right direction, and the invitation to orientation camp is a strong indication that Hockey Canada has taken notice. With continued strong play and his recent Team Canada experience under his belt, don't be surprised if Weegar earns himself a ticket to Italy in 2026. He's no longer on the outside looking in — he's firmly in the conversation.

Bedard, Celebrini among those invited to Canadian men's Olympic hockey camp
Bedard, Celebrini among those invited to Canadian men's Olympic hockey camp

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Bedard, Celebrini among those invited to Canadian men's Olympic hockey camp

The past, present and future of Canadian men's hockey will meet at a Hockey Canada national team orientation camp in Calgary later this month. Young stars Connor Bedard (Chicago Blackhawks) and Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks) will join Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) and Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers), who have already been named to the Canadian men's Olympic team, for three days of off-ice meetings, team building and presentations. Much was made about Bedard's omission from the 4 Nations Face-Off team earlier this year after a difficult season with the Blackhawks. But both Bedard and Celebrini, who starred alongside Crosby at the world championship this past spring, will have a chance to prove they belong at the Olympics. They're four of 42 NHL players invited to the camp, and will be joined by players vying to make the Canadian women's and Para hockey teams that will compete for gold in Milano Cortina in February. "While the next several months will bring intense evaluation and difficult roster decisions, we look forward to kicking off the season in Calgary and giving our athletes and staff a chance to come together and start to become one team as we set our sights on February," Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada's senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, said in a statement. The first six players on the men's team were named in June: Crosby, McDavid, MacKinnon, Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche), Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning) and back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers). Four other Panthers are competing to join Reinhart on the Olympic team: defenceman Aaron Ekblad and forwards Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe. Every player who won at the 4 Nations Face-Off was invited back. Canada looks set in goal NHL players haven't appeared at an Olympic Games since 2014 in Sochi, and only three players invited to Hockey Canada's August camp have an Olympic gold medal to their names: Crosby, John Tavares (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings). Nineteen players on the camp list are Stanley Cup champions, while 12 have won world championship gold medals. Only three goaltenders were named to Hockey Canada's roster, suggesting the team is set in net. They include St. Louis Blues starter Jordan Binnington, who backstopped Canada to a 4 Nations Face-Off win over the United States earlier this year. He'll be joined by Adin Hill (Vegas Golden Knights) and Sam Montembeault (Montreal Canadiens), who were also part of the 4 Nations Face-Off team. On the blue line, young, puck-moving defencemen like Noah Dobson (Montreal Canadiens) and Evan Bouchard (Edmonton Oilers) are in the mix, competing against veterans like Doughty and Ekblad. Makar is the only defenceman who's been named to the team so far. His long-time D-partner in Colorado, Devon Toews, seems likely to make the team beside him, while McDavid's linemate on the Oilers, Zach Hyman, could provide some built-in chemistry during a short tournament. Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, and Edmonton Oilers forwards Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman are among the players fighting for a spot on the team at forward. The players were selected by a leadership group that includes GM Doug Armstrong, assistant GMs Julien BriseBois, Jim Nill and Don Sweeney, director of player personnel Kyle Dubas, head coach Jon Cooper and Ryan Getzlaf, who's a player relations advisor with the team. The men's team opens its Olympic tournament against the Czech Republic on Feb. 12. The gold medal game will be on Feb. 22. Para camp roster named Twenty men have also been selected to attend camps and events with the Para hockey program, as the squad looks to avenge a gold-medal game loss to the U.S. in 2022. The three goaltenders, six defencemen and 11 forwards include nine players who earned silver at the 2022 Paralympics, and 16 who won gold at the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship in Calgary. That includes captain Tyler McGregor, who will be looking for his first gold medal after two silver and a bronze at the Paralympics, as well as Liam Hickey and Dominic Cozzolino, who led Canada in scoring at the 2025 World Para Hockey Championship, where Canada finished second to the U.S. Three goaltenders (Corbin Watson, Adam Kingsmill and Jean-François Huneault) round out the camp roster. The Paralympic Games in Milano Cortina begin on March 6 and run through March 15.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store