Move over McGregor, Gympie’s ‘champ champ’ is here

Five Gympie fighters laced up the gloves at a Sunshine Coast fight night last weekend.

BOXING: Conor McGregor is old news. Now the “champ champ” hails from the Gold City.

Gympie boxer Danny Hawkins became the region’s very own double champ when he scored a decision win over Caloundra City Boxing’s Daryll Leabourn at CCC’s War of the Worlds 2 fight night last Saturday.

Danny Hawkins

RELIVE THE LAST FIGHT: Devastating Round 1 KO in Gympie boxer’s title fight

Hawkins’ triumph in a gruelling, five by two-minute round slugfest added the 81kg ABC Masters Title to his trophy cabinet, after he beat Chris Fox in under two minutes to claim the 83kg WBF World Masters Australian Title by first round stoppage in June.

Conor McGregor coined the term "champ champ" when he stopped Eddie Alvarez to become the simultaneous UFC featherweight and lightweight champion in November 2016.

Last week’s win capped a stellar year for the Fred Brophy’s Boxing Troupe veteran, who coaches alongside wife Alicia, Mark Hanson, Michael “Tiny” Ditton, Tony Changyu Tseng and Keith Stubbings at Gympie’s Savage Boxing and Fitness Centre.

“I knew he was going to be tough. He’s had over 100 fights, he’s got five titles or something like that,” Hawkins said.

“I would’ve liked to knock him out but he was too durable, and he was smart. When I did rattle him he knew what to do to keep himself in the fight, he was just a crafty boxer.

“I was happy to get the win, especially over five rounds. I haven’t been five rounds before.

“It topped off the perfect year. The gym’s going really well and I’m looking forward to seeing how next year goes. I couldn’t have done it without everyone at the gym, and Aaron Corden for putting me through the hard yards.”

Hawkins was one of five Savage representatives to lace the gloves at War of the Worlds 2, joined by Steph Isaiah, Adam Carr, Tom Daunt and Ned Kelly.

Steph Isaiah, Danny Hawkins, Ned Kelly and Adam Carr

Carr, 17, earned a points win in his three round, 81kg contest with Burpengary’s Fred Uta, while Kelly and Daunt endured tough losses against their respective opponents Tippo Mason and Daniel Woodruff.

Isaiah missed the opportunity to contest the Sunshine Coast Heavyweight Title when opponent Haloti Foster failed to square up for their bout.

“I got in the ring and went for it, he started working his way up from the bottom, I got thrown around a bit. Same again in the second round, and by the third I was just too exhausted, tried to keep my distance,” Kelly said.

“The kidney shots just ended me, but I’m 16 and I’m ready to go again.”

“I’m just disappointed, that’s all I can say. Six weeks of training and then nothing. But there’ll be more fights coming,” Isaiah said of his no contest.

Hawkins encouraged anyone interested in joining the team in 2020 to follow the Savage Boxing Fitness Centre Facebook group.

Originally published as