Hinterland Boxing talent Alex Shaw eager to impress at World Boxing Championships in Liverpool
A Sunshine Coast boxing talent has drawn comparisons to world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk as the rising star sets his sights on Olympic gold after being selected to represent Australia.
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Sunshine Coast boxer Alex Shaw has been compared to Oleksandr Usyk as he plots a path to becoming Australia’s next global sensation in the ring.
In less than four years Sunshine Coast boxing talent Alex Shaw has gone from standing outside gym doors representing Australia at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool.
The 196cm, 106kg 23-year-old was selected after competing at the World Championship trials at the AIS in Canberra last month.
The rising star failed to drop a round during his three fights over the four days, winning two via unanimous decision and one via a body shot stoppage.
“I remember a quiet lad standing out the front of the building for a while as I thought he was one of the kids’ older brothers here to pick them up,” Hinterland Boxing Club head coach Steve Pitt said.
“I eventually asked if he was all right and he asked if he could come and train so I tested him with a few questions before he grabbed his gear and he’s been here every day since.”
Shaw will now travel to Kazakhstan, Canberra and Glasgow for separate training camps leading into Worlds.
“He’s on the lighter side but Oleksandr Usyk was the same when he was coming through so I think Alex’s smaller frame allows him to be a lot more agile,” Pitt said.
“He’s got a good boxing IQ and is quite skilful for a super heavyweight so he moves like a middleweight and is only going to get better.
“I’d say he’s a lot sharper and crisper with more sting in his shots compared to the bigger bodied fighters who are relying on those one punch heavy blows.”
Shaw also has aims of qualifying for Australia’s 2026 Commonwealth Games team before hopefully turning professional prior to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“The exposure is what I’m looking forward to the most, I don’t think there’s anyone in the amateur ranks that could beat me so I want to stop everyone from here on out,” he said.
“It’s another step now to fight internationally but that’s a challenge I’m excited for.”
Shaw said he had been relishing his time alongside Australia’s top ranked featherweight Dana ‘Deadly’ Coolwell and head coach Pitt at Hinterland Boxing Club in Beerwah.
“You need to be training alongside the best if you want to be elite and it’s just been unreal for me,” he said.
“I didn’t expect any of this when I started but at the same time it has been a goal of mine to represent Australia
“We’ve never had an Australian boxer win gold at the Olympics so that’s my main goal moving forward.”
Since the Olympic weight class of heavyweight has moved from 92kg to 90kg, Shaw made the step up to the super heavyweight division.
He currently boasts a 17-1 record with his only defeat at the hands of former Australian Amateur Champion Adrian Paoletti.
That loss in 2024 was Shaw’s 12th career fight compared to Paoletti’s 70th.
“He went down on points which we were pretty happy with as we knew he was still on the rise and is only getting better compared to Paoletti who has since made his pro debut,” Shaw’s coach Steve Pitt said.
The former Thirlmere Tahmoor Roosters rugby league player relocated from Sydney to Brisbane and then the Sunshine Coast in 2023.
“When I moved to Brisbane and then to the Sunshine Coast it was all getting a bit much so I was honestly thinking about giving boxing away but I thought I’d give it a crack for a few more weeks or months and see what happens,” Shaw said.
“It’s been less than a year but I’ve grown so much thanks to the support of everyone around me.”
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Originally published as Hinterland Boxing talent Alex Shaw eager to impress at World Boxing Championships in Liverpool
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