Charlie Joyner to defend Australian amateur cruiserweight kickboxing title

Ahead of his first Australian amateur cruiserweight title defence, kickboxer Charlie Joyner knows that hunger is the key to success. And he’s starving.

Charlie Joyner is gearing up for his first defence of the Australian amateur cruiserweight kickboxing championship.

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Getting to the top is easy. Staying there is the hard part.

As he heads into his first Australian amateur cruiserweight title defence, Castle Hill’s Charlie Joyner knows exactly how important it is to stay hungry.

Charlie won the title in April with a decision victory over Mackenzie Cunningham. Picture: Angelo Velardo

“Most champions who have defended their titles, and used it as a platform to bigger and better things, have done so by maintaining the challenger mindset that got them to that point in the first place,” the 24-year-old said.

“The saying ‘the wolf on top of the hill is not as hungry as the wolves climbing the hill’ comes to mind.”

Since capturing the title in April, Joyner has refused to take a backwards step as looks to keep working his way up the kickboxing ladder.

He defends it on August 24 against Queenslander Isaac Papaali. Picture: Angelo Velardo

“The last few months as champion have been really good, but have also been much the same as before the fight,” he said.

“I made sure I got straight back into the gym to work on the things we feel need improving from the last fight.

“I am still at such an early stage of my career that it would be ridiculous to rest on my laurels after winning one amateur belt.”

The next step on that ladder comes in the form of Queenslander Isaac Papaali, who Joyner faces in a title bout on August 24.

“I don’t know too much about (Papaali) but I am preparing myself for a tough fight,” he said.

“But I have also been in tough fights before, so I know what it takes to push through them and snatch the victory.”

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