Australian Boxing/SM Memorial thread

Who else is pumped for the return of Ben Horn tonight fighting for the Aussie title?
I have a good feeling that we are gonna see some Queensland glass shatter.
It will also be great to see Cobra Kai Glenn Rushton back on our television screens. Hopefully he brings a dust pan and a Dyson to clean up the broken glass. @UnleashtheFURY

 

Could be wrong but I think that bout is off tv.

 

Rock bottom to headline act: The incredible story of rising Aussie boxing champ Dana Coolwell

Dana Coolwell is not a household name but he possesses one of the most extraordinary stories in Australian sport - and his talent has been rewarded with a spot on a Fox main event card.

Queensland boxing young gun Dana Coolwell admits he experienced the dark side of life too often, far too soon.

He was drinking alcohol at 12. By 13, he was mourning the sudden death of his father, Russell. At 14, he dabbled in drugs. By 18, he could have easily been in jail, or suffered a more tragic fate.

That Coolwell is Australia’s super featherweight champion at 23 — a decade after his life fell apart — is testament to the Sunshine Coast slugger’s determination to overcome incalculable odds to flourish in a sport that has proved his salvation.

On Wednesday night, Coolwell (7-1, 5KO) celebrates the high point of his rollercoaster young life. The Indigenous battler from Beerwah will be the main event on a Fox Sports card when he takes on unbeaten Venezuelan Ender ‘The Tiger’ Luces (16-0, 14KO) for the IBF youth title at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall.

Coolwell cannot fathom his rapid rise ... especially given the trauma behind his fall.

“It’s hard to say what the toughest thing has been. I saw it all at a pretty young age,” says Coolwell as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career against the dangerous Luces.

“I’ve seen domestic violence, the death of my dad, drugs and alcohol.

“When I lost my dad, I started playing up a bit. You wake up one day and realise your dad won’t be there ever again.

“I lost my way.

“I had drugs around me. I was doing marijuana. I drank alcohol.

“Being young, I was trying stuff out, thinking I was cool, but looking back it was all stupid.

“That’s why I am grateful for where I am today. I had my first fight a year after I lost my father and my trainer, Steve Pitt, has been more than my coach, he has become a father figure for me.

“If it wasn’t for boxing, I don’t know where I would be.”

The last time Coolwell cruised into Fortitude Music Hall in December, he exited with the national super featherweight belt.

In an epic boilover, he floored menacing Miles Zalewski (9-2, 7KO) with a 10th-round knockout that announced ‘Deadly’ Dana as one of the rising talents of Australian boxing.

Ranked No.6 in his division behind Australia’s world-ranked top dog Liam Wilson, Coolwell’s work ethic is admirable. In nine years training with Pitt, he has never missed a session. He was late once by two minutes, charging into the Hinterland Boxing Club wearing undies.

Beating Miles to win the national title was incredible,” he said.

“All the hard work and early mornings, it felt so good to get some reward for that.

“Some mornings I am up at 3am to do a run before I go to work. I start at a bakery at 4.30am, then I’m at the gym by around 4pm and by the time I’m finished training, I’m home at 7pm and it all starts again the next day.

“It’s hard to wake up some days, but my end goal is to win a world title and I believe I can.

“This is why I’m doing the sport.“

Coolwell knows he must find another level to dispose of Luces, a South American southpaw boasting a lethal 87 per cent knockout rate.

“This is definitely the biggest fight of my career,” he said.

“The plan is to stop him in the later rounds. He is taller and has heavy hands so I have to watch myself early and slowly break him down with punches in bunches. My jab is my best punch. I plan on using it a lot.

“I’m heading up a Fox Sports show so I want to test myself and prove I am world class. Taking fights like this is the only way to get better.”

 

Meant to be facing Junior Fa on the Kabosos v Haney card.

 

I wonder how he will go down in that one.

Thanks.

 

Sokolov and Pope setting a hectic pace heating up to be a good one

 

Thought that might be a little sleeper.

 

Looks like Sokolov is gonna stop him Pope can’t take this for another 6 rounds

 

Good “Victory!” For Viking quest Sokolov

 

Two big KO's in a row!

Jason looked pretty trash for the first round but sent the poor Fijian to la la land in the next. Ref could have counted to Easter Sunday he wasn't getting up.

Big Ko for the young kiwi over King D. No point that continuing

 

King D had no business in there tonight. Hardly recognised Lawrence Tuasa in the corner he was a good domestic fighter in his day

 

Was that Lawrence in King's corner?!?!

He looked like Big Pun the rapper.

 

What happened in the Kite-Horn fight Notorious M.I.D?

I'm surprised he lasted the rounds but to lose an MD. He must have been really in the fight.
Good for him.

 

Yeah lol he did the right thing throwing in the towel that could’ve been an ugly KO if he didn’t

 

Yeah it wasn’t televised I am surprised Kite didn’t pancake him lol. Disappointed not to see Cobra Kai Rushton on TV