Full Boar Gym muaythai fighters Mariah Bowen and Ferlene David are training hard ahead of fights in Cairns this weekend.
MUAYTHAI is a family affair for Cooktown fighter Mariah Bowen, who trains at Full Boar Gym with her coach and uncle Vince Parkes.
Bowen is taking on Elle List from Townsville’s Courage Training Centre in her fourth fight, and has been training hard twice daily with Parkes and her clubmates.
Parkes said he enjoyed having his niece in the gym and was proud of the hard work she put into the sport.
“She’s got (her son) Alvar in the gym every morning sleeping while she does her 5am session before work and then she’s back there again every afternoon,” he said.
“She’s doing the hard yards and fitting it in between full-time work and being a mum.”
Parkes said he was confident of Bowen’s abilities in the ring, despite a niggling injury and a few kilos of weight to be cut.
“Mariah is looking really sharp and strong, I’d hate to be fighting her,” he said.
“She’s got a bit of an injury in her shoulder, and we’ve been watching that, but I’m pretty confident in her.
“We’ve changed her diet and increased her protein in the morning to help with energy while she’s cutting weight.”
Parkes said fellow Full Boar fighter Ferlene David was raring to go after an opponent pulled the pin on a fight several weeks ago. He said she had been in a training holding pattern since, hoping for a new match.
“She’s not training like Mariah is, but she can still run up Grassy Hill no worries, and if they do find a match for her we can bring her up to speed quickly,” he said.
“We’re hoping to match her with a girl from Team Ngapuhi in Toowoomba who is a little bigger and has a mixed martial arts background, but nothing Ferlene can’t handle.”
The Elite Fight Series event is in Cairns this Saturday at Brothers Leagues Club.
Contact Parkes on 0427 877 181 or drop into the gym at 17 Boundary Street to buy general entry tickets.
