Toowoomba boxer eager to line up challenge after another win

Steve Spark has beaten the best Australia has to offer. Who does it fight now to boost his world title credentials?

Toowoomba's Steve Spark lands a shot on Kieran Cronin. Picture: DSL Photography

BOXING: Steve Spark’s stat line paints a powerful picture.

Since his professional debut in 2014 Spark has amassed an 11-1 (11 KO) record and in the last two years alone he has won five major titles.

Spark’s performance is all the more impressive when you consider he was sidelined for six months by a hand injury that required surgery in 2019.

Fresh off his latest win, a second round stoppage of Kieran Cronin, Spark is looking for his next challenger.

“When you look at this year and what Steve has done through the lockdown, the swap of opponents, we feel he is the number one super lightweight in the country,” Spark’s trainer and manager Brendon Smith said.

“It’s getting more difficult to find match ups.

“For example we had Terry Tzouramanis contracted to fight in July, but unfortunately the borders were shut and that didn’t go ahead.

“Straight after that show we talked about revisiting the fight and full credit to his promoter Peter Maniatis he said with what’s happening here and what they saw Steve do there was no way they were going into that fight without a few warm-ups bouts.

“Steve missed out the co-main event in Townsville against Kye MacKenzie at lightweight again because of COVID restrictions but there’s no going back to lightweight.

“So now we’re focused on the next opponent, the next fight, but things are difficult with the barriers to international travel.”

Spark and Smith have discussed a March return for the 24-year-old and the young fighter is content to do what he does best in the interim.

“We respect Terry’s honesty,” Spark said.

“Maybe that’s a fight we can come back to or maybe we move on from it.

“We’ve got our sights set on the world and the sooner everything opens up the better.

“In the meantime we’re just going to keep grinding.

“My job is to be in the gym to improve myself as a fighter and a person.

“It’s about making everything better – improving right across the board.

“People think I’m just a big puncher but I’m actually a very good boxer, that’s how I like to fight and what sets up my knockouts.

“My goal is to win a world title, it has been since I was young and I’m still only a kid.

“I’m only going to get stronger and the longer these guys put things off the worse it’s going to get for them.”