Cape York Boxing Weipa founder and coach Scott Wallace (centre) and some of his fighters prepare for a training session on 10 May as the countdown to Weipa Fight Night 2.0 begins. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
Western Cape York boxers are preparing to hit the road to continue their skill development ahead of a fight extravaganza in their own backyard in July.
With Weipa Fight Night 2.0 scheduled to thrill a big local audience on 19 July, Jack Barton, Rubyn Olsen, Samson Poi Poi and Billy Reynolds will travel to Townsville later this month to contest the 2025 Queensland Golden Gloves.
The trip will follow Barton spending last week in Newcastle at Boxcamp with more senior fighters, and Cape York Boxing Weipa founder and coach Scott Wallace said he believed the quartet would impress in the ring in Townsville on 24-25 May.
“We’ve got them very fit,” he said.
“They’ve been training three nights a week and have hardly missed a night; they’re probably a little bit down on their sparring, but other than that, they’re really good, really fit and as hard as nails, ready to go.”
Barton and Olsen will fight in the experienced division – more than 10 bouts – in Townsville, while Poi Poi and Reynolds will don the gloves in the novice class.
Mr Wallace had nothing but praise for the two younger fighters and said they were “going gangbusters” in their development as athletes.
“Samson and Billy, they’ve just stepped up,” he said.
“They’ve just grown and, yeah, they’re turning into men, and they’re starting to fight like men, so, they’re just going gangbusters.”
The pair will head to Mount Isa for a training camp in June ahead of showing off their skills in front of their home crowd the following month.
With the countdown to Weipa Fight Night 2.0 now on, and the club full of boxers training every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Mr Wallace said he could not believe how it had evolved from humble beginnings eight years ago.
“Words can’t explain it,” he reflected.
“The community has jumped on board and we’re now getting recognised.
“It makes a makes a tired, old, frigging worn out coach very proud.
“But it’s all about the kids – it’s all their hard work really paying off, I’m just guiding them; it’s nothing short of amazing.”
Promising Weipa fighter Jack Barton in action at Boxcamp in Newcastle last week. Photo: Supplied.
