Toowoomba boxer wins gold at Underage Australian Boxing Championships

A Toowoomba boxer has been waiting two long years for his shot at Australian championship gold and after lining up in Melbourne at the weekend the young teen is hungry for more. Details here

BOXING: Toowoomba boxer Darcy Long has been waiting two years for his shot.

Covid restrictions all but knocked out the amateur fight game the last two years, but when Long finally got his shot last weekend he made the most of it.

Fighting at the 2022 Underage Australian Boxing Championships – Long claimed gold in the JB50kg category.

After beating Victorian Beau Piggot on points Long went on to claim a split decision against Morris Sawn Pui in the gold medal match.

“They were my first fights in two because of Covid restrictions and both were very tough,” Long said.

“Both my opponents really made me work – it was hard work but worth it.

“You get out of boxing what you put in to it – train hard, fight easy.

“I put in a lot of work and had a lot of help from people like my coach Brandon Wood, the Thornberrys down in Gatton and the Warwick boxing club – winning this title is something I’m really proud of.”

Australian junior boxing champ Darcy Long. Picture: Nev Madsen.

While Long enjoys balancing his schooling with the demands of boxing training, the soon to be 15-year-old does hope to turn pro one day.

The Downlands student would love to box at the Commonwealth Games but believes his style is more suited to the professional arena.

“I love to step forward and really bang,” Long said.

“I’m pretty aggressive in the ring and I think that style is more suited to professional boxing.

“A lot of Australian boxers want to fight at the Commonwealth Games and I would love that, but at the same time I want to go pro when I’m 18 so I’m doing everything I can now to make that happen.”

Australian junior boxing champ Darcy Long and his coach Brandon Wood. Tuesday, July 12, 2022. Picture: Nev Madsen.

As he progresses down the path to professional boxing Long will have plenty of supporters in his corner.

Long’s coach Brandon Wood believes his young fighter’s attitude is the key to his success.

“It might not sound like a big thing in boxing but Darcy is a polite, well-mannered young man and that makes a big difference,” Wood said.

“Nothing is ever an issue or a problem for him – when you ask him to do anything he just gets in and does the work.

“He turns up for every session, he listens, he learns and he puts in the work all the time.

“As a fighter I’ve done a little work on his style in the ring.

“I have to give Mick Betros credit where it is due, he worked with Darcy in the past and did a great job.

“For me I’ve been trying to work on channelling Darcy’s natural aggression.

“When he steps into the ring he just wants to go forward straight away, punch hard and win the fight quick.

“For us it’s a matter and letting him know you don’t have to win every fight in the first round and you don’t always that opportunity – it’s about boxing more.”