SA boxer Bec Moss finally gets first pro fight in Adelaide

The sport of boxing does not have many pros like 46-year-old Bec Moss – especially not in Adelaide.

Boxer Bec Moss will have her first pro-fight in front of a home crowd on Feb 10. Picture: Brenton Edwards

At 46 years of age, Bec Moss has waited a long time to fight in front of a home crowd.

The professional boxer and Australasian champion has 30 bouts to her name, but only three since she turned pro in 2021 – and all have been fought interstate.

Now Moss, a 48.9kg light flyweight from Salisbury, will compete at a professional fight night which will be held on February 10 at the Dom Polski Centre.

“It’ll be the first time my mum gets to see me pro-fight live,” she said.

“She’s been involved in my boxing the whole way through, she’s seen me box as an amateur and even then, I mostly had to travel interstate to fight.

“There’s quite a few people in Adelaide who’ve never seen me pro-box live so they’’ll come out and watch.”

Boxing coach and promoter Mark Nethercott has put $60,000 into the fight night and said it would be the first female professional boxing bout in Adelaide in years.

“There are not that many female boxers in Adelaide, amateur or pro, most would stay amateur due to the lack of suitable matches.

Boxer Bec Moss has spent 10 years on the Australian amateur boxing circuit and turned pro in 2021. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“This show that Fred and our team has put on, now gives Bec this opportunity.”

Headlining the card is Ugandan-born Fred Zziwa, a young boxer who was unable to obtain citizenship in time for the Olympic trials, despite living in Australia for 10 years.

Moss, who made her pro debut fighting on the undercard of the 2021 boxing spectacle featuring NRL star in Wollongong, said she was grateful for any opportunity to compete, even if it was off the back of a male headliner.

“It’s been over a year and a half since my last fight – it’s been a while and I’m ready for a fight,” she said.

Moss has spent the last 10 years competing on the Australian circuit and yet not as much time in the ring as she would have liked.

“I was supposed to fight in December last year but it fell through,” she said.

After 31-year-old Katie Riddle from Victoria won the amateur 50kg national title, her manager reached out to Moss hoping Riddle could make her professional debut against the 46-year-old boxer.

The decision to turn pro for a female boxer is often prompted out of necessity, as rising amateurs quickly run out of opponents.

“I was going to fight her for her debut but the promoter didn’t want two interstate girls,” Moss said.

“The fight was in NSW and they didn’t want to have a South Australian versus a Victorian.”

Moss’ career has been made off opportunities afforded to her by her male counterparts – fighting on the undercard of a male headliner.

“That fight put him (Gallen) on the map and he’s had a lot of fights since then,” Moss said about the Paul Gallen versus Lucas Browne fight.

She lost that night to an opponent who had defeated her twice before.

With so few opponents, Moss has resorted to fighting women well above her own weight category.

“In amateurs I was 48kg but I fought at 59kg to get some opponents, because if someone pulls out, you don’t really get a fight unless you’re happy to take on someone heavier than you.”

Boxer Bec Moss will have her first pro-fight in front of a home crowd on February 10. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“Obviously the purse you get from professional boxing isn’t enough to live off of – most of the time you’re looking at about $200-$300 per round when you first start,” Moss said.

“They have to add flights and accommodation for you and your coach, some do a daily allowance of $50 for food and things.

“Weigh-ins are done 24 hours beforehand, so they usually have to pay for two nights.

“Most pro boxers go four rounds for their debut, eight is the most females will box for an Australian title, a world title fight is 10 rounds.

“Once you’ve had a few bouts, you can look at $300-$400 per round, that all goes into the contract.”