Walloon-based Rebels Boxing Club had two big wins recently.
Club members ventured to the big smoke for the annual Fortitude Boxing Tournament at Bowen Hills on March 19 March, and to Bundaberg a week later.
“It’s allways great to travel for fights and represent Ipswich,” coach Robbie Sbeghen said.
Joe Bennett (above right), 14, went up in weight to Bantamweight (54kg) division where he met Sunshine Coast’s Hayden McEwan, the state champion in the higher weight and a recent winner of the Australian title.
The first two rounds were quite close, but Joe gained ground to out-box his opponent with some clean boxing and strong defence to win by unanimous points decision.
In Bundaberg, Livai Savuro (far right), 16, took on Tyler Wheeler from Gladstone in the Featherweight (57kg) division. Livai moved well, working out his much taller opponent in the first round and then working the inside in the second and third. Livai showed his skill and outclassed his opponent to win by unanimous decision.
Sbeghan said Livai did well as his opponent was two years older. The club had to sign a waiver so Livai could fight because of the age difference.
The next tournaments will be April 9 at West End, April 23 at Acacia Ridge, May 7 at Cooroy, then the State titles on May 28-29. There will an event on the Gold Coast in June before Rebels host their own tournament in Ipswich on July 2 at the Ipswich Showgrounds.
