Post Office manager’s jaw breaks in Fred Brophy’s Boxing Troupe tent

Despite a 20kg ‘mismatch’ and a broken jaw, a Sunshine Coast venue manager has no regrets about stepping into the ring at a legendary travelling boxing tent. Watch the video.

A Sunshine Coast venue manager will be on a fluids-only diet for the next six weeks after he came off second-best in a legendary boxing troupe travelling tent.

Fred Brophy’s Boxing Troupe was in Nambour on Friday, October 6, when the Post Office Bar venue manager Hezekiah Calcino stepped up for a fight.

The troupe travels across Queensland, setting up its tent and allowing audience members to compete against the tent’s boxers.

It is the last legal boxing tent in the world and this year has travelled to locations including Mt Isa, Monto and Burnett Heads.

Hezekiah, or Hezzie, lasted two rounds when he copped a punch to the face that left him with a broken jaw.

Hezekiah Calcino (left) boxing a couple of rounds at Fred Brophy’s Boxing Troupe in Nambour on October 6.

Hezzie’s dad, and bar owner John Calcino, said it was a couple of “action-packed” rounds before the incident.

“Hez is the second generation Calcino to have had a go in the Brophy tent, although my father had a few professional fights at Festival Hall in Brisbane, back in the late 1940s,” he said.

The Post Office venue manager Hezekiah Calcino is nursing a broken left jaw and will be on a liquid diet for about six weeks following a boxing bout in Nambour on October 6. Picture: Letea Cavander

“I ended up getting out of the Brophy tent with very sore ribs but my face intact after getting a lesson from Kojack about six years ago at Kilkivan.”

The 23-year-old is on a fluids-only diet for about six weeks after having surgery in Brisbane last week that has also left him with a plate in his face for a lifetime.

“We knew the next day that there was something definitely wrong because his tooth had gone another way and (his jaw) felt like it was out of place,” John said.

The younger Calcino also suffered concussion following the bout.

Fred Brophy before one of his events, which is the last spectacle of its kind in the world.

“They try to match you up with some of the fighters but he was in a mismatch because the guy he had a fight with was about 20kg heavier than him,” John said.

The Post Office Bar owner said the venue manager would likely miss at least one weekend of work.

John said “eventually” his son would come good but his short-lived boxing career was likely over.

Fred Brophy speaking to Rockhampton paramedic Brad Nobbs who volunteered to go in a fight.

Fred and Sandi Brophy have owned and managed the tent for more than 40 years.

She said she did not know about the injury.

“I feel really bad and we would have gone to see him to see if he’s okay,” Ms Brophy said.

The tent owner said although they took all precautions, sometimes accidents happened.

“You can be on the wrong end of a punch,” Ms Brophy said.

The couple has moved to the Sunshine Coast and Mr Brophy said their first show was in South Australia.

For the past 35 years the troupe has mostly travelled in Queensland.

Ms Brophy turned 70 and Mr Brophy turned 71 earlier this month.

Mr Brophy said he would continue to run the tent for as long as he could and said, when he retired, the spectacle would end.