The best amateur boxer in Canada for more than five years, Custio Clayton, has signed a long-term agreement with Groupe Yvon Michel Inc. (GYM).
The leader of the Canadian National Team in recent years, Clayton captured six national titles. He represented Canada at many international tournaments including the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and 2014 in Glasgow, 2013 World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan and 2011 in Baku, Azerbaijan, highlighted by his participation in the 2012 Olympics in London.
Clayton is best remembered for becoming first Canadian boxer to win two Olympic matches since silver-medalist David Defiagbon at 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. After disposing of Oscar Molina, of Mexico, and Cameron Hammond, of Australia, Clayton lost a 14-14 tiebreaker to the eventual silver medalist, Welsh Fred Evans, depriving Clayton of an Olympic medal by the tiniest margin. In 2013, the AIBA ranked him the No. 6 welterweight (152 lbs., 69 kg.).
Bernard Barré, head of recruitment at GYM, has only the highest praise for Clayton. “Since the inception of our organization, he said, “we made a point to sign the greatest Canadian boxers. Clayton is part of this group that, before him, includes Adonis Stevenson, Jean Pascal and Andrew Kooner. Custio Clayton developed into the star of the Canadian National Team during his amateur career at a small gym with limited Nova Scotia resources. In this context his amateur trainer, Gary Johnson, did miraculous works. We are convinced that, in his new framework, Clayton will develop his full potential and achieve great success.”
