Arthur Maloney has been punching above his weight as a boxing trainer for over half a century and has no plans to retire yet
AT 74, Arthur is still training amateur boxers. But every now and then he comes across a fighter who can go all the way. He loves it and has no plans to retire.
AT 74, Arthur is still training boxers at the Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Club in Lismore, NSW. “I started boxing in 1953 when I was 12,” the local icon says. “I started training other boxers when I was 18, so that’s the best part of 55 years in the ring.”
In that time, the quietly spoken motor mechanic has taken thousands of local youngsters under his wing, setting some on a path to greatness and oftentimes helping others stay on the straight and narrow.
“I love boxing,” says Arthur. “I love getting kids in who know nothing about the sport and just watching them progress. I also get a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from helping youngsters who are in a bit of strife.”
Boxing, he says, “can give that discipline and focus that’s needed for some of these kids. So I help them out with the sport side of things and bit of anger management as well.”
Every now and then today’s Australian of the Day comes across a fighter who can go all the way. The latest is Rio Olympics contender and London Commonwealth Games Gold medallist Shelly Watts. Shelly began her career under Arthur’s tutelage before she caught the attention of the Australian Institute of Sport.
Even then there was a connection back to Arthur: “Shelly’s coach from the AIS, Don Abnett, also started out his boxing with me as a young lad,” he says with a chuckle of satisfaction. “I’ll be watching to cheer her Shelly for the gold, that’s for sure.”
Arthur, who won a golden gloves title himself in Sydney in 1965, says he has no plans to retire any time soon. “For my age I’m still very active and I can still punch pretty hard,” he says. “I actually surprise a lot of the young lads with my punch and speed. It’s the old saying: you keep doing it as long as you love it. And I certainly love it.”
CommBank has partnered with News Corp Australia to champion the Australian of the Day initiative which celebrates people in our neighbourhoods and communities who really make a difference to how we live and who we are. You can read all their stories at australianoftheday.com.au, where you can also nominate someone you know.
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