Former professional boxer Bill Ivory was more than a little proud to attend the reopening of the Bunbury PCYC on Wednesday, having spent six decades at the centre helping youngsters reach their potential.
Ivory was just 14 when he first learnt to box, inspired by his brother Harry who was a professional on the circuit.
When Ivory was 16, his brother dobbed him in for a fight. He won the bout and earned two pounds for his victory.
“I never had ambitions to be a boxer myself but my brother talked me into it and it just happened,” he said.
“Being on the small side I’ve always been competitive and I had a bit of success.”
During his career, Ivory fought for state and national titles and was named coach of the state team on three occasions.
The welterweight retired from fighting in 1946 and found himself in Bunbury in 1951.
“Cedric Macauley from the Bunbury PCYC contacted me and asked if I could come down and teach boxing to some of the youngsters,” he said.
“It became like a second home and while I was here I mixed with a lot of good kids who needed a bit of help to get them on track.”
For the next 60 years, Ivory remained an integral part of Bunbury PCYC, earning life membership in 1958 and having the leisure room named after him in 2009.
“I was honoured to see my name unveiled in the gym and spent the whole night with a big grin on my face,” he said.
With his 95th birthday rapidly approaching, Ivory was proud to reveal he still teaches the sport he loves to a select group of students who visit his home once a week.
“I still coach about half-a-dozen fellas who love the sport including a long-time student of mine Terry Pantlin who took over as boxing coach here in Bunbury after I retired in 2011,” he said.
“In my 60 years of service, it hasn’t all be give, I’ve made a lot of good friends and really enjoyed myself.
“I tell all my students that learning to box isn’t about going out to pick a fight with people, it’s about giving students confidence in themselves and showing them they can achieve anything in life.”