Fitz Vanderpool facts for kids

Fitzroy "Fitz the Whip" Vanderpool is a famous Canadian boxing champion. He has won 6 important title belts! Fitzroy was born on November 3, 1967, in a country called Trinidad and Tobago. When he was six years old, he moved to Canada with his family.

Fitzroy is known as "Fitz The Whip." The "WHIP" part stands for "With Hope It's Possible." He grew up in a family with five boys, and all of them were boxers! This meant life at home was always a bit of a competition. This helped Fitzroy dream big and work hard to become a professional world boxing champion.

Fitzroy "Fitz the Whip" Vanderpool: A Boxing Champion

Fitzroy Vanderpool has won many professional boxing titles throughout his career. Here are some of the big ones:

• 1996 April: Canadian Professional Boxing Federation title
• 1997 April: World Boxing Federation Intercontinental title
• 1998 November: World Boxing Council Welterweight Fecarbox title
• 1999 April: World Boxing Federation Superwelterweight World title
• 2002 March: World Boxing Council Superwelterweight Fecarbox title
• 2013 March: National Boxing Authority Middleweight title

The Big Comeback: Oldest Champion

Fitzroy first stopped boxing in 2005. At that time, he had a record of 24 wins, 7 losses, and 4 draws, with 13 knockouts. He had already won five national and international titles.

But in March 2013, after not boxing professionally for about 7 and a half years, Fitzroy made an amazing comeback! He won the National Boxing Authority championship. He even beat an opponent who was 17 years younger than him! This victory gave him his 6th professional national title.

This win also made Fitzroy the oldest Canadian boxing champion ever! He was 45 years old and became a champion in three different weight divisions. Before him, the record was held by another famous boxer, George Chuvalo, who was 43 when he won his last title.

Life After Boxing: Hall of Fame and More

On January 4, 2014, Fitzroy announced he was retiring from professional boxing "for good." This happened at the grand opening of his new gym, Vanderpool Fitness. George Chuvalo was there to pass on the "oldest Canadian champion" torch to Fitzroy.

Even after retiring, Fitzroy continued to be recognized for his amazing career.

• In 2016, he was added to the Ontario Boxing Hall of Fame.
• He also received the "Courage Award" from the Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame.
• The National Boxing Authority Hall of Fame gave him a "Service Award."

In January 2018, Fitzroy decided to try something new. He became a candidate for the Ontario New Democratic Party in a provincial election. This means he ran to become a representative for his local area in the government of Ontario. He came in a close second place in the election.

Helping Others: Fitz's Work Today

Fitzroy Vanderpool is very busy helping his community and inspiring young people.

• He owns and runs Vanderpool Fitness & Boxing, a successful boxing gym in Waterloo, Ontario, since 2003.
• He is also the main coach for The WHIP Boxing Academy.
• Fitzroy started a non-profit organization called WHIPYIT. This stands for "With Hope It's Possible Youth in Transition." This group helps young people build strength, confidence, and feel good about themselves.
• He is an inspirational speaker for young people. He encourages them to set goals, chase their dreams, and never give up. He teaches them that "With Hope It's Possible!"
• Fitzroy also helped write a book called 'The Whip' with Sandra Cole. This book shares his inspiring journey and shows how anyone can succeed, even when things are tough.

Fitz's Boxing Record

Here is a summary of Fitzroy Vanderpool's professional boxing record: