Boxers Zoe Christodoulou and Darcy Long celebrate big title wins

Two Toowoomba boxers claimed major amateur titles recently, but it was just the latest success in their fledgling careers. Read their remarkable journeys to the top of Australia’s amateur ranks.

Revolution Boxing fighters Zoe Christodoulou and Darcy Long won gold at the Australasia Amateur Boxing Titles. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Zoe Christodoulou can pinpoint the exact moment her life changed for the better – it was the first time she laced up a pair of boxing gloves.

Christodoulou, who has now been boxing for eight years, said the sport turned her life around.

“I was a bit of troubled kid in school … struggling to keep in a straight line,” Christodoulou said.

“Boxing really saved me from some dark, dark places.

“I trained for about three years before I even looked at competing. Once I did my first fight I just knew this is what I wanted to do.

“It (boxing) keeps me in check, keeps me disciplined and motivated to get up and go do other things.

“Life is not just boxing but for me it helps me maintain a positive mental state.

“You’re fit, clean, healthy and all round you just feel better. You come to the gym after not a great day and whatever the session, it clears the mental state.

“When I’m not boxing I worry about the past or the future – when I am boxing I feel present.”

The 20-year-old’s passion and commitment paid off recently with a major Australian title win.

Competing in Bathurst, Christodoulou won gold in the 51-54kg division of the Australasia Amateur Boxing Titles.

Zoe Christodoulou of Revolution Boxing.

“I didn’t know anything about my opponent (Kristy Willmott),” Christodoulou said.

“She was really tough but I feel as though I’ve made a lot of improvements recently and I was that slight level above.

“I was able to have a little bit of fun in the fight. I went in there, listened to my coach Dan Long and got the win.

“You have to stick to the game plan, implement what you’ve been working on.

“Sometimes you go in with a plan and your opponent comes out with something you’re not expecting so you have to adapt.

“But we train to win, we fight to win and we do whatever we can to win.

“I can move, I can groove and we try to stay out of a brawl, in and out, ones and twos.”

Looking to the future, Christodoulou is focused on maintaining her amateur status and hopefully securing a Commonwealth Games fight before turning pro.

Gold for Long

Ask any boxer how a fight is won and they will point to discipline.

It’s not just discipline in the ring when you square off against your opponent though.

It’s discipline in the weeks or months of preparation leading up to the fight, according to Darcy Long.

“Train hard, fight easy,” Long said.

“When you get in and train as hard as you can, you can do what needs to be done when you get into the ring.

“If you don’t do the work you’ll step in there and get flogged.”

Long’s preparation for the Australasia titles was seven weeks of bike sprints, sauna, sparring and road (running) work.

His dedication in camp paid off with the young boxer winning gold in the 54-57kg division.

Darcy Long of Revolution Boxing.

“I had two really tough fights,” Long said.

“I thought I was in control in the first and won fairly convincingly even though he was a good fighter.

“I won the gold by unanimous decision again and he (Zane Hailes) was a really tough fighter.”

Long stuck to guns – fighting inside – in Bathurst and the plan paid off.

“It is better when you have an understanding of who you are fighting, but sometimes that just isn’t possible in amateurs,” Long said.

“Sometimes that is a good thing.

“You train the way you train and that’s how you fight.

“I like to get inside, get in and give them a whack.

“Hands up, go forward and not give them a break, the sooner you let them off the sooner they get their breath back.

“Always dictate the pace.”

Like his Revolution Boxing teammate Christodoulou, Long has hopes to one day go pro after building his skills, experience and name in the amateur ranks.