MILDURA’S boxing clubs have come together to help each other prepare for the upcoming Boxing South Australia State Championships.
Up to 12 boxers from three clubs are expected to compete over three days at the state’s biggest boxing event this weekend.
Coach Steve Ladd said Ladd’s Boxing Club was raring to go and would be putting forward a team of seven fighters: Hamish Berry, Charlie Cooper, Robert Burns, Raiden Tyson, and Lainesia, Gab and Henry Toutai.
“Their fitness has really improved,” Ladd said.
“We’ve been pushing them harder than we ever had before.
“Everyone is feeling confident because of all the work they have done this year.
“They’ve travelled around Australia and had a successful home tournament so everyone is feeling good.
“It just comes down to whether they get the job done on the day.
“We expect to do well.
“We have a few fighters who may be unopposed but we will try to bring in fighters from interstate for special bouts.
“When the draw closes on Sunday we will find out who is fighting and how many days we are fighting.”
Ladd said they had come together with the crews from Iron Fist and The Boxing Cartel to get the Mildura boxers ready.
“It helps them and it helps us to be able to work well together,” he said.
“It is good for the athletes of Mildura when we can all work together.
“It helps them develop, it is good for the town and promotes the sport.”
Iron Fist’s Buster McWilliams echoed this.
“We have done a lot of work with Ladd’s and Cartel, sparring most weekends together,” McWilliams said.
“We are all sharing each other’s environments, which is a good experience and good practice.
“Training has been good really.
“The boys are training three hours a day, putting in work at 5.30 am and 5pm every night.”
Iron Fist will have two fighters competing: Nicholas McWilliams, who is coming fresh off a win in his debut fight and looking to take out the 63kg novice title, and Egemen Keleser, who previously won the novice 75kg title and is looking for a repeat in the elite division.
Mildura’s newest club, The Boxing Cartel, will put three fighters forward, Brad Prowse and Luke and Rhys Hutchinson looking to bring home the wins.
Luke will fight at 80kg his younger brother Rhys at 60kg and Prowse at 63.5kg.
Coach and owner Nick Wakefield said it was great to see all the clubs supporting each other.
“When you have good boxers at each gym it makes it easier for guys in Mildura to not have to travel so much for sparring and it is good we are all working together,” he said.
“When I moved away to Melbourne 10 years ago there was only one gym in Mildura so to see where boxing has got back to is very cool.”
