Kovacs monsters his rival

GIANT Bundaberg 14-year-old Paul Kovacs stood tall and delivered to win the 86kg division of the Australian Boxing Championships in Hobart.

Paul Kovacs is the new Junior Heavyweight Australian Boxing Champion after winning his fight in three rounds at the Australian Amateur Boxing Championships in Hobart. Picture: Max Fleet

GIANT Bundaberg 14-year-old Paul Kovacs stood tall and delivered to win the 86kg division of the Australian Boxing Championships in Hobart on Saturday night.

The Shalom College Year 10 student, who is already 189cm tall and is still growing, is known in boxing circles as the "Bundy Bear" and scored a points victory over three rounds against Western Australian Andy Murphy.

His proud father and coach Attila, who established the Attila's Boxing Academy 12 months ago, said points were even after the first round.

"But by the end of the second round he was one in front after he landed a big hit on him that counted. Then, in the third, he really came to power to win the fight," Attila said.

Born in Nambour, Paul has lived in Bundaberg for the past 13 years, but he took up the sport less than two years ago.

A Golden Gloves winner late last year, it was his first shot at a national title and he was very happy.

"I've only had seven fights but I've won five of them. Because of my size it's hard for me to get matches, because hardly anyone wants to fight me and when I do get a fight, it's usually against a 16-year-old or someone older or heavier," Paul said.

"It's all thanks to my dad. He trains me and I couldn't have done it without him."

Paul said he took up boxing for fitness but now it was his passion and his long-term goal was to win gold at the 2016 Olympics.

"I went to box gym at the BYC (Bundaberg Youth Club) and I kept going to every training for a fight coming up in Bundy. (BYC coach) Bob Butler wanted me to train for the fight and I trained and trained and trained but no one would fight me.

"My first fight was back in Toowoomba a year-and-a-half ago and I won by TKO. I fought a guy 10kg heavier than me but I stopped him in the second round and I think the score was 22-2.

"I love boxing."

Attila said his son's potential was unlimited.

Originally published as Kovacs monsters his rival