FISTS were flying on Saturday night at the Mildura Hothouse for the third annual Hogarth Cup, attracting plenty of boxers and fight fans alike.
The Hogarth Cup went to national champion Beau Piggot, who had his hand raised against Mildura’s Charlie Cooper in the main event.
Hosted by Ladd’s Boxing Club, the amateur boxing event is a rare opportunity to watch live boxing in the region.
Hogarth Cup organiser Steven Ladd said the feedback from the event had been amazing as he looked to continue this annual event.
“Overall, the standard of the boxing was unreal, and the fight of the night had the crowd on their feet,” he said.
“We had people who had never been to a boxing event who said they were coming back and that it was better than they thought it would be.”
The tournament featured two of Mildura’s own, Cooper and Hamish Berry, who were competing in Perth just weeks prior for the Australian boxing titles.
Despite being unable to secure victories, both showed grace in defeat following intense and competitive fights.
“During Charlie’s fight, it was hard to hear in there, everyone was on Charlie’s side,” Ladd said.
“To have it here in your hometown (allows) people who support boxing see fighters like Hamish and Charlie. They get the chance to see them live with a home crowd.”
The importance of hosting a boxing tournament went beyond just a sporting event for Ladd, who said it was about preserving a sport that is part of the region’s DNA.
“Boxing has been around for such a long time in Mildura,” he said.
“People don’t realise if you go back into the ‘40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s one stage, there were about 20 boxing clubs in this area.
“It was really big back then because you didn’t have all the sports you have nowadays.”
