The son of a rugby league legend helping Harry Garside hit the haters for a home run

A lot has changed since Harry Garside’s bronze medal in Tokyo, but the 27-year-old has insisted he’s adding knockout power to his punches thanks to his longtime strength and conditioning trainer.

Harry Garside jokes that he couldn’t bruise a grape in the first part of his professional boxing career.

But the 27-year-old has promised to start sitting down on his punches and focus on his boxing as he prepares for his long-awaited comeback this Wednesday night at the Hordern Pavilion as co-main event to Sam Goodman’s showdown with Cesar Vaca.

Plenty has changed in Garside’s life since turning professional in 2021.

Harry Garside wins on professional debut in 2021. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

There have been headlines inside and out outside of the ring, Olympics heartache and a change of team, but one thing has remained the same.

That’s his longtime strength and conditioning trainer, Trent Langlands – son of rugby league great Graeme ‘Changa’ Langlands.

Langlands is a key figure in helping Garside add power to his deft footwork and speed.

It’s a partnership that sees the boxer adopting some fairly offbeat training techniques.

Trent Langlands and Harry Garside. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Like whacking a heavy boxing bag with a baseball bat in a room that looks like a dungeon at his gym in Waverly.

“Trent’s one of the most creative men I’ve ever seen,” Garside says. “He’s done a lot of work with jockeys and NRL players, and every session he’s got something new for me to make me that little bit stronger.

“The way I box, I’m always on my bike, always moving around, so it’s up to me now to focus on when to land that shot.

“It’s about building that strength and feeling confident enough to put the feet down, throw a shot and land it.

After hitting a few home run shots at a boxing bag, Garside slides out a massive tractor tyre, picks up a sledgehammer and begins crashing thunderous shots into it.

Langlands is helping Garside add power to his punches. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

He trains with an intensity he lost somewhere after his crushing first round defeat at the Paris Olympics last year.

Back then, he thought he might actually be working on the end of a sledgehammer or shovel after thinking he was through with boxing.

“I grew up roof tiling with my dad, and my brother is a plumber, so I did a bit of that,” he said. “I definitely could go back and work in the family business.

“But boxing is a small window and you’re only able to be at your peak five years or so.”

While Langlands has been a constant over his career, Garside parted ways with Johnny Lewis, who guided him for his first three pro fights.

The pair parted ways when Garside decided to go back to the Olympics and put his professional career on hold.

With so much else going on his life – including reality TV, and high-profile endorsements – Lewis questioned whether he was truly focused on fighting.

Garside training in a room we’ve dubbed ‘The Dungeon’. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Garside insists there’s no bad blood though.

“Johnny did so much for me and he’s one of the best coaches we’ve ever had, if not the best coach we’ve ever had in this country,” he says. “I totally respect that he didn’t support me focusing on my Olympic campaign – I totally get that.

“We spoke a couple of times after I went back, and I messaged him for his birthday.

“He’s an exceptional man, and I’m really grateful for what he did for me and my career.”

Growth has been a big part of Garside’s life since his groundbreaking bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

But he can admit now that he got swept up in the other things that come with fame and profile in Sydney-town.

“Somewhere along the journey I lost respect for myself as an athlete,” he says. “I had so many things going on outside boxing that were distracting me, and it’s up to me as a man to realise that.

“The world was coming at me so quickly. I never thought I’d get the opportunities I did when I started boxing and I got distracted.

“Who knows what doors will open over the next few years, but I’ll have a lot more awareness and understanding about what to do, rather than just jumping at everything like I was.”

Garside beat Leyton McFerran in his last professional fight in May 2022. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

One of the big knocks on Garside as a boxer is his seeming lack of power, but he doesn’t need to look far for inspiration on grit and determination.

Just take his great mate Nedd Brockmann, who ran from Perth to Sydney, battled through 1000 miles in 12 days, and just completed the London Marathon in 2:30:06.

“That man is one of the grittiest people I’ve ever met in my whole entire life,” Garside says. “What he puts his body through is truly exceptional and to be good mates with him and build that friendship over the last few years, I feel forever grateful.

“I’m inspired and motivated by him all the time.

“That’s what you want in friendships, right? You want people who are lifting you up and making you be the best version of yourself.

“That’s what I want to show on Wednesday night, and just get that momentum back to where I want to be.”

Originally published as The son of a rugby league legend helping Harry Garside hit the haters for a home run