Neues » a newfound focus on analytics. Hunter brings some experience

MONTREAL - Promoter Yvon Michel says Custio Clayton was the best Canadian amateur boxer of his era and now wants to see how far he can go as a pro. Vapormax Nere Senza Lacci .The 27-year-old from Dartmouth, N.S., who came within a whisker of a medal at the 2012 Olympics in London, is to make his pro debut Dec. 19 in Quebec City on the undercard of Adonis Stevensons defence of his World Boxing Council light heavyweight title against Russian Dmitry Sukhotsky.An opponent has yet to be named for Clayton, an amateur welterweight who will likely start his pro career up one division at light middleweight (154 pounds).We always felt it was important to give an opportunity to the best amateur fighter of his era, Michel said Friday as Clayton was introduced to the local media. It fit good because its our mission to sign the best Canadian prospects.We had huge success with Jean Pascal and Adonis Stevenson, who were the leaders of their era. We had a little less with Troy Ross, but he fought in world championships twice so it was not that bad. And we really failed with Andrew Kooner. Just because Clayton has a great amateur background doesnt mean hell be an automatic success, but the chances are very good.Clayton signed a three-year deal with Groupe Yvon Michel this week and will be fast-tracked to try to reach the top 10 in the world rankings within 18 months with a goal of fighting for a world title before hes 30.The father of two is a six-time national amateur champion who decided to turn pro after reaching the quarter-finals of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where he lost a close decision to Steven Donnelly of Northern Ireland.His amateur highlight came at the 2012 Olympics, where he became the first Canadian since 1996 silver medallist David Defiagbon to win his first two bouts.In the quarter-finals, he fought Briton Freddie Evans to a 14-14 draw before a partisan crowd of 10,000. He lost on the recount, which is when all five judges scores are counted instead of only the middle three (after rejecting the highest and lowest scores).Canada filed a protest, saying the referee let Evans off when points deductions should have been called, but it was turned down.Theres nothing much I can say, said Clayton. I know what I did and other people know what I did, but theres nothing I can do with the judging.Now, hes focused on pro boxing.Under Quebec commission rules, his first four bouts can be no longer than six rounds and his first one has to be a four-rounder. Michel wants to get them out of the way as quickly as possible so Clayton can start facing better opposition in longer bouts.Its always good to have something new in your life, Clayton said. Im just happy that I got the opportunity to come to Montreal and start a new life.I know Ill be a little nervous, but Im always nervous. Itll be nothing new to me. Ive been in the Olympics and fought in front of a lot of people, so its about being comfortable and going in and performing.The surroundings are not unfamiliar. Clayton has been brought in before by GYM head trainer Marc Ramsay to spar with pros in the middle weight categories, including David Lemieux and Antonin Decarie.He will continue to work with Canadian national team head coach Daniel Trepanier at the Club de Boxe de lEst in the citys east end, although Trepanier cannot work in his corner during bouts.Trepanier compared Claytons style to former welterweight world champion Timothy Bradley for his all-around talent and boxing IQ.Hes a strong fighter with a good knowledge of the ring, said Trepanier. Good footwork. Hes similar to Bradley because hes really smart and strong, physically.Claytons manager, Douggy Berneche, said the fighter could have stayed in Halifax and had a decent pro career, but made a wise choice to come to the city where the sport gets front-page attention and has most of the countrys top fighters. For TV, the connections, to have good sparring partners, you have to come to Montreal, he said.Claytons second bout should be on a fight card Berneche is promoting at the Lac Leamy Casino in Gatineau, Que., on Jan. 31. Vapormax Bianche Ingrosso . His team rose to the occasion Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Sweden in the bronze-medal game. "The sting from yesterday is not something we hid from or pretend didnt happen," Dineen said. Vapormax Off White Nere . The Toronto Argonauts running back hurt his left ankle during the teams practice Friday afternoon at Rogers Centre. http://www.vapormaxscontateoutlet.it/ .Y. - Geno Smith still thinks of himself as the New York Jets starting quarterback.Mark Hunter is leaving the junior-hockey empire he helped build with the London Knights to join an NHL empire with the Toronto Maple Leafs.Hunter was named the Maple Leafs director of player personnel on Tuesday. He will oversee the teams pro and amateur scouting and player-evaluation departments.For the past 14 years, the Petrolia, Ont., native co-owned the Knights of the Ontario Hockey League with brother Dale and served as vice-president and general manager. Mark Hunter briefly filled in as coach when his brother joined the Washington Capitals for the majority of the 2011-12 season.I felt it was a great opportunity for me to hopefully show my skills, Hunter said on a conference call from London. It was a difficult call to leave something like (London). But at the end of the day guys, its something that I wanted to do and it was a great opportunity for myself.The Knights won three OHL titles and a MasterCard Memorial Cup during the Hunter regime and turned out stars like Patrick Kane, John Tavares and Corey Perry. In the process, Mark earned a reputation as one of the sharper hockey minds at the junior level.Within the organization, Hunter said he would consider an NHL job if it came along. One person with the Knights said this was overdue to happen, and another called it one of the best decisions the Leafs could have made.Hunter, a veteran of 628 games as a player, coached the AHLs St. Johns Maple Leafs in 1996-97 and also spent some time behind the bench of the OHLs Sarnia Sting before buying the Knights. His true passion is in management.Evaluating the talent of players, the progression of them getting better, is so important to where they end up at the end of the day, Hunter said.Hunter, 51, said he met last week with Leafs president Brendan Shanahan (himself a Knights star before Dale and Mark took over) and general manager Dave Nonis to talk about hockey philosophy. Another meeting led to a job offer, which Hunter was glad to take in part because all four of his children are now out of the house.Its a good time in my life right now, its just the wife and myself — I can be gone more, I can do more things, I can travel more, Hunter said. Vapormax Uomo Saldi. I can be more involved with the Leafs.Hunter said hell spend the next 10 days helping new Knights GM Basil McRae get up to speed. McRae, a co-owner along with the Hunters, previously served as a pro scout for the Columbus Blue Jackets and the St. Louis Blues.After he helps McRae get going, Hunter said its going to be 100 per cent with the Leafs.The hiring of Hunter is Shanahans latest stamp on the Leafs organization. Since taking over in April, he fired assistant general managers Dave Poulin and Claude Loiselle, assistant coaches Dave Cronin, Scott Gordon and Dave Farrish and hired assistant GM Kyle Dubas, assistant to the GM Brandon Pridham and now Hunter.In the process, Toronto now has a hockey research and development department and a newfound focus on analytics. Hunter brings some experience there from the Knights.We always did analyze our own players, Hunter said. One of the things we always look at all the time is how many scoring chances per minute on the ice. Thats a big component for us. Yes, you want guys putting pucks in the net, you want some guys that have natural (ability), that dont need as many chances to score, but if youre not creating chances for somebody else or getting the chances yourself.As far as player evaluation, Hunter said he prefers skill over size.Its nice to have a skilled guy thats big and strong, but theyre harder to find, he said. If you can do both, I think you have something special. We had doubters on Pat Kane. If you guys wouldve seen him in minor midget, he was a little mouse, and now hes bloomed into one of the best players in the National Hockey League.You really have to evaluate where theyre going to go and how much theyre driven and how good their skills are. Thats the responsibility of the scouting staff of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and hopefully I can help that part out.---Follow @SWhyno on Twitter. ' ' '