Coffs Coast boxer Mitchel Stapleton reignites pro boxing career on Gold Coast
An up-and-coming Coffs Coast boxing pro has shifted to the Gold Coast to level up his career – and the regional powerhouse is due to hit the ring this weekend.
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Rising Coffs Coast professional boxer Mitchel Stapleton has moved interstate to the Gold Coast in a bid to nitro-boost his fledgling career.
On Saturday night, ‘The Dynamite Kid’ will feature in his “comeback fight” – against Josh Wright at Mantra On View at Surfers Paradise.
Stapleton, a former five-time national amateur champion, packed his gloves and bags to link with the powerful big city FiteKlub Fitness as he looks to advance in the pro ranks.
He is now rubbing shoulders with the likes of NRL powerhouse Payne Haas and former AFL legend Barry Hall at the modern gym which is a far cry from the musty garage at his dad’s Nambucca Heads home.
But it was in the humble shed where Stapleton forged his reputation as The Dynamite Kid.
His father, Ian ‘Sparra’ Stapleton trained him, but it was time for his son to link with a bigger outfit.
Sparra has sold up and also moved north to the Glitter Strip, where his son is looking to build on a solid professional platform of two wins and a loss.
Presented by Jamie Myer Productions, Saturday’s card is headlined by a Che Keneally-Kate Lagenhurst Australasian light heavyweight title bout.
“We don’t know much about him (Wright) other than he’s got a big Muay Thai background,” Sparra said.
Stapleton is now trained by the widely acclaimed Fidel Tukel, as his dad takes a step back.
“But I’m still hitting him in the guts with the medicine balls,” Sparra said.
“I’m part of the family (at the new gym) and I’m learning so much.”
The transition from Bucca to Burleigh has been eye-popping for the Stapletons.
“They just do a couple of one-inch things here that Mitch wasn’t doing right. It can be something as small as the movement of a foot just a bit – and he’s doing treadmills now instead of road running,” Sparra said.
With a gap of 14 months since his last fight, Stapleton, 24, is primed for a rumble with a fight weight of about 66.67kg.
“We’re certainly not taking him (Wright) easy. We’re going in to do the work,” Sparra said.
“We are planning to be very active this year (with a busy fight schedule).”
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