Vipers ready to rumble

SATURDAY Night's Alright for Fighting and that's exactly what three Vipers fighters will be doing.

STEPPING INTO THE RING: Josh Wright, Kimberley McPherson, owner and head trainer Luke Newton and Degan Martin from Vipers Muay Thai are heading up the Rocky Rumble 19 Part II. Picture: Contributed

MUAY THAI: Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting and that's exactly what three Vipers fighters will be doing.

More than an Elton John song, local Vipers are primed and ready to come out swinging at the Rocky Rumble 19 Part II this weekend.

Vipers owner and head trainer Luke Newton is confident Deegan Martin, Josh Wright and Kimberley McPherson can come home victorious.

Newton said they started hitting the training hard about six weeks out from the event with two sessions per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, five to six days a week to ensure they were fighting fit.

Focusing on cardio, heavy bag work, pad work and sparring, Newton said the fighters, like the gym, had a good record in the ring and they were looking to uphold that on Saturday night.

He said they had some good match-ups for the event but was backing his fighters all the way.

Newton said this would be Martin's second fight. He said he was a good all-round technical fighter who was tall, great with kicks and hands.

Newton praised the boxing skills and strong kicks of fellow southpaw McPherson.

He said being left-handed the techniques and combinations were a bit different to that of an orthodox fighter.

Saturday night will be Wright's first professional bout, and Newton said he was looking forward to letting loose with the elbows.

Working with elbow combinations off knees and hands, Newton's eager to see how the trio go at the Rockhampton event.

With all fitness levels up, it will come down to what goes down in the ring.

Newton said muay thai was definitely growing in Bundaberg from what he had seen at the gym this winter alone.

Having taken over the gym in April, he said the sport provided a great work out and opportunity to learn self-defence for those not looking to compete.

Vipers Fight "N” Fit Centre is open 6 days at 4F Targo St.

Fighter stats

Three of Vipers Muay Thai Bundaberg fighters will be competing in the Rocky Rumble 19 Part II on Saturday night.

KimberleyMcPherson: fighting in the 67kg Divsion, record of 2W-2L

Josh Wright: Fighting in the 59kg Division, record of 4W-2L

Deegan Martin: Fighting in 73kg Division, record of 1W-0L