Tributes are pouring in from across Alberta for a well-known former amateur boxer and sport administrator being remembered as a loyal friend who put others first.
Dennis Belair of Edmonton died peacefully on Friday surrounded by his family. He was 63.
“He had been complaining about being not well for some time,” said his son, Nathan.
But it wasn’t until the day before his death that Belair was officially diagnosed with a form of lymphoma, his family said.
Born and raised in Edmonton, Belair began training in the family garage at age six and later went on to fight more than 400 amateur bouts.
‘He looked after me’
“You can only fight once a day now, but back in those days we would fight four or five times in a weekend,” said his brother, Lloyd Belair.
Lloyd recalls his older brother winning the Canadian amateur championship at least once as he moved up the weight categories to eventually fight as a heavyweight.
“He looked after me,” Lloyd said. “He was always bigger and stronger.”
Lloyd said he has been blown away by the number of calls has received from people who knew his brother.
“He had all these different friends and they really admired him,” he said.
While a popular amateur fighter, many will likely remember Belair in his role as a builder in the sport.
‘He had all these different friends and they really admired him.’ – Lloyd Belair
“We could be in the worst situation and he would make it better by joking around,” said Roland Labbe, president of Boxing Alberta.
After hanging up his gloves, Belair became an accomplished referee and eventually represented Canada around the world. He also served as executive director of Boxing Alberta.
“He’s done it all with boxing,” said Labbe.
Dennis Belair, in the cowboy hat, standing next to former world heavyweight champion George Foreman. (Supplied)
Belair brought his sense of humour and expertise to other sports. He became heavily involved with dragon-boat racing and with the Edmonton Royals junior B hockey club.
Once, he even made it into a boxing movie.
Dennis Belair (left) throws a punch at an opponent in this undated file photo. (Nathan Belair)
He was initially supposed to be an extra in the 2007 film Resurrecting the Champ, starring Samuel L. Jackson.
But in the end, Belair took his own share of the limelight. After Belair spontaneously decided to give a standing count to an actor in a fight scene, the directors decided to leave the footage in the movie.
Nathan later followed his father into boxing.
“It was always so special to have Dad’s success before me, sort of paving the way,” he said.
‘He was proud of me’
Nathan remembers representing Team Alberta at the Canada Winter Games in 1995 in Grande Prairie. His father was an organizer of the event.
“I was so honoured and proud of him and he was proud of me as well, obviously,” Nathan said.
Dennis Belair was the oldest of four children. He is survived by his wife Cathy, children Nathan, Natalie and Braddock, and four grandchildren.
The Belair family has a funeral planned for Feb. 18.