I started Below the Belt boxing magazine in 1999 after noticing that it was difficult to find any information on boxing. Canadian boxing particularly. I had been competing approximately six years at that time as an amateur boxer and I was looking for motivation and mentors in the sport that I had grown to love.
Below the Belt boxing magazine started as a quarterly black and white amateur and professional boxing magazine. In 2000 I brokered a contract to distribute the magazine to every Chapters, Indigo, and Worlds Biggest Bookstore in Canada. At that point it became the only National Canadian amateur and professional boxing magazine. As the magazine grew, our team added a colour cover and an eye-catching layout design.
The magazine covered A to Z in Canadian boxing. From coaches to promoters, amateur fighters to professional fighters and the state of the game. We were able to build a loyal fan base and we sold heavily in Ontario and New Brunswick. As the Below the Belt team grew, we were fortunate to attract talented writers, photographers, and graphic designers. We aimed to educate and entertain, and we were successful in our goals.
In 2008, during a decline in ad revenue, the tough decision to stop publishing was made. I decided that it would be better to stop while the magazine was in the black and doing well. With the emergence of web-based magazines and boxing websites on the internet in the last few years, Canadian boxing has become more accessible for the masses. I loved creating and publishing Below the Belt boxing magazine and would not rule out publishing the magazine again in the future in a new and improved format.
In 2013, the opportunity came to bring Below the Belt Boxing magazine back, improved. With a new funding strategy, I was able to hire professional photgraphers and produce a full colour magazine on high quality gloss paper. Our team did not focus on a strict publishing schedule but instead published around advertisers needs and events. This strategy allowed us to produce a popular Canadian magazine and we ran strong until 2021 when I decided to stop running all of my businesses amid the uncertainty of the world economy. – DO
