Lethbridge boxing legend Kai Yip passes away
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LETHBRIDGE – “He was a coach, a mentor, a friend and a father to me.”
Canadian Boxing Olympian Rick Duff was 15 years old when he first met Kai Yip in 1979, and began training with him. Duff was already playing hockey at the time, and wanted to complement that with boxing. And at first, he needed a lot of work.
“I kinda got beat up a few times when I first started, and you know, I just showed him I had the heart and the passion to be rugged and tough, even back then.”
At the time, Yip had already been inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame for boxing, racking up an impressive 90 wins and 12 losses in a 5 year boxing career. Yip began boxing in 1953 at age 14, after moving to Lethbridge from B.C., something Duff says he did to defend himself against bullies and others who tried to pick on him.
In his first year alone, Yip claimed the Provincial Junior 100 lb. boxing championship, and just one year later, at age 15, he won both the 110 lb title and the Golden Gloves. He was again the Provincial Senior, Golden Glove 112 lb Champion and Canadian Champion in his class in 1956. Then in 1958, he won the Provincial Senior and Canadian Senior Championship in the 119 lb class, and represented Canada at the British Empire Games in Wales.
But there was one thing Duff says Yip longed to do, that he was never able to. That’s where Duff’s tenacity, practice, hard work and determination played a part.
“Kai wasn’t able to go to the Olympics in ’56 because he was too young. He was Canadian Champion and one of the best boxers around, but they wouldn’t take him back then. So (together) we worked from small success goals…try to pick up this tournament, that tournament or bout. Crazy bouts, that I shoulda never been in, with Canada’s best boxers, the heavy weights.”
He says taking part in the Olympics was a career highlight not only for Duff, but also for Yip as the Coach of the Canadian Olympic Boxing team. But the duo lost contact for many years not too long after the Olympics, while Duff served in the Canadian Forces.
In 1985 Yip was inducted into the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame, and in 1987 into the Canadian Amateur Boxing Hall of Fame. He also continued coaching in Lethbridge, and volunteering his time with many local organizations.
Duff returned to Lethbridge in 2007 and immediately re-connected with Yip. He says the two picked up where they left off, reminiscing about old times, including many that had nothing to do with boxing.
“He was a part of your life. He worried about me just before the Olympics. I was having some tough times at home and (he) said I could come and stay with him. And he cooked! He took that on. He wanted to see me get to the Olympics. He was that kinda guy.”
Duff also recalls one of the more humorous moments with Yip and the boxing team, when they travelled to Vancouver. Yip took them all to a restaurant in Chinatown and surprised them with one of the menu items in particular.
“He’d order ’cause we didn’t know how. Well we’d get this this big fish and this good Chinese food, and we’re all eating it and near the end, he’d go ‘well, you guys want a treat?’ And he’d grab the (fish) eye with his chopsticks, and he’d eat it. And of course all of us kids would go ‘awwwww! we can’t eat anymore!’ and he’d get a kick out of that.”
In the last week or so, Duff was able to spend some quality time with his mentor, and says he was a fighter until the very end. His voice cracks recalling one of his fondest memories.
“There was a moment when I was at the Olympics…. after fighting the World Champion in my second fight, I looked into Kai’s eyes and we had that non-spoken language that we’ve got. And then he said ‘you know what, kid? you did good. Win or lose, you did good.’ And I lost by a split to the champ, but it was a highlight of my life.”
He describes his friend as a legend who dedicated his life to boxing.
“He made a lot of opportunities for a lot of young kids to participate, and he wanted them to be the best they could be. He was a part of your life, always backing you up 110%.”
A public memorial service for Yip will be held Tuesday, February 21st, at the Rocky Mountain Turf Club in Lethbridge on the 3rd floor grandstand, from 2pm until 4pm.
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