Paulley takes on best in class by Sean Cunningham - The Camden Advertiser - 9th Feb 2011 CURRANS Hill boxer Matthew Paulley will soon fight to earn the right to fight in the US later this year. Paulley will compete in the Australian Fight Series, which features the eight best boxers in the welterweight division. This content is protected There will be four first-round contests, with semi-finals and a grand final to follow, with the winner to be crowned the Australian Fight Series champion and be given the chance to fight in California, in December. The final will also be a fight for the IBO Asia Pacific title. The 32-year-old, who trains at Grange Old School Boxing, is confident he has what it takes to succeed. "I believe I can win it, " Paulley said. "I've been training really hard and I'm really focused on giving it my all. "It's going to be tough with the competitive competition but I've been training to take home the prize. "I have been training with all my heart and soul and with the help and support of Grange Old School Boxing organising great sparring and my dad [Stephen Paulley] coaching me I'm fitter than I have been for many years." Paulley's amateur career, which started when he was 10, included holding an Australia amateur title four times and representing Australia at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. On turning professional in 2000, Paulley won the Australian light welterweight title in his third bout. His professional record is 19 wins (seven knockouts), six losses and five draws. "Boxing was in my blood from very early on," Paulley said. "My proudest moment in my boxing career was representing my country at the Commonwealth Games, an experience I will never forget." His proudest lifetime experience was watching he and his wife Lisa's two sons, Zac and Ty, being born. "I aspire to teach my boys to get the most out of life and want to show them what never giving up on your dream is all about, by being crowned the Australian Fight Series champion," Paulley said. Paulley's first opponent will be Tim Hunt, on Friday, February 18, at Flemington Racecourse. "All of the fighters are ranked in the top 10 in Australia and I have seen footage on all my prospective opponents," Paulley said. The series will be shown on One HD. Details: www.australianfightseries.com.au.
You'd hope. But it sounds like the US fight is part of the prize for the welterweight series, and who really can tell with these reality TV shows? Just hope it's entertainly, and perhaps has a more 'real' feel to it than the Australian Contender series that was on FOX.
Matt Pauley's confidence not shared by Fightbet. Todd Kidd hot favourite at $2 Pauley and Hemming outsiders at $15
Interesting, to say the least. Then again, I wonder what odds they would have had about the late entry into the Aussie Contender series winning it......and then beating Mundine?
Not sure of the exact odds during the Contender series but a few at ESB said they cleaned up on the Mundine result. I don't really fancy Paulley in the final but Garth certainly proved anything is possible. Thought Tassie boxer Steve Maxwell was stiff not to get a jersey after stoppage wins over Jimmy James, Paulley and Heath Ellis over the past 15 months. Noticed on BoxRec that Maxwell is fighting 23yr old Russian southpaw Anton Novikov 19/0/0 on 23/2/11 in Russia for the WBC Asian Boxing Council welter title. Looks like a huge step up for Maxwell. Wish him all the best but have a feeling that he might have been better off staying in OZ contesting the welter series.
