Ex-Olympic boxer honoured for helping Hamilton's Black youth be strong and avoid bullies

An ex-Olympic boxer's journey to capture gold two decades ago has led him to a whole different kind of fight. One without gloves, rounds, referees or a ring. 

His new opponent is bullying.

Nickolos 'Fox' Farrell, 44, spent his youth preparing to win the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta. Now he's helping Hamilton's youth avoid bullies by teaching them the sweet science as well as strategies to avoid conflict.

"I can still make champions and that's part of my regimen but my heart [wants] to help as [many] children [as possible]," he said.

While Farrell hasn't boxed in years, he still managed to pick up some hardware. His community contributions won him a John C. Holland Community Service Award earlier this month for his contributions to Black youth.

But his role as a mentor for kids at Hadaway Youth Boxing on Barton Street wasn't what he imagined for himself in his teen years. Back then, he was chasing fortune, fame, championship belts and bragging rights.

Throughout the 80s and the 90s, the East-York born fighter trained non-stop in Toronto, Scarborough and Ajax before calling Hamilton home and training out of McGrory's Boxing Club.

Farrell was never the biggest fighter but with his spring-loaded jab, cutting combinations and swift footwork, he could usually outwork opponents.

By the age of 20, the amateur pugilist captured the Canadian junior middleweight championship (156 pounds or 71 kilograms) and a string of Ontario titles before reaching the finals of the America Trials in Puerto Rico and qualifying for the Olympics.

Farrell felt destined for greatness, surrounded by other Black Canadian boxers including Troy Ross, Tony Morrison and Lennox Lewis. Just four days before his Olympic fight in Atlanta on July 23 he even sat down for lunch with then-Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

"I saw myself putting the gold around my neck," he says.

His moment finally arrived. Farrell stepped in between the ropes and stood across the ring from Kazakhstan's Yermakhan Ibraimov. The bell rang and Farrell threw five punches. 

Immediately, he felt zapped of his energy. The fight went all three rounds but Ibraimov outscored Farrell. Ibraimov went on to win bronze that year and gold in the 2000 Olympics.

But Farrell says he had two opponents that fight — Ibraimov and a bad case of mono.

From Olympics to anti-bullying

After the loss, Farrell was training for his next chance to pose at the podium.

But his boxing career unexpectedly ended in 1999 after injuring his back during an incident with Hamilton police in which officers withdrew all charges.

Years later, Farrell needed a new focus.

"I had to change to something that made life worth living," he says. "And that was to try and help the children."

Farrell began teaching kids and teens how to box and avoid bullies. He recently relocated his small gym to 747 Barton St.

He hosts three classes a week where students between four and 18-years-old learn self-defence that builds their confidence and anti-bullying strategies to dodge conflict. 

"We show them how to respect each other," he says.

It costs $80 a month to join, but the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program allows families with an income of $40,000 or less to join for free.

"When the children come to our door … without having their moms around or fathers around … we have time for them … we're going to continue building that foundation."

"We're able to teach each other how to work together … we're breaking barriers."