Local boxing will be in the spotlight on Saturday night, when a huge crowd is expected to pack into the Gippsland Regional Sporting Complex for former world champion boxer, turned promoter, ‘Wild’ Will Tomlinson’s action packed “The Champ is Here” card.
The night will be headlined by local boxing stars Max Reeves and Blake Wells, who will both tackle tough opponents in their first contests for 2024, with impressive victories expected to springboard their campaigns.
Reeves returns from a serious leg injury in the first defence of his Australian super middleweight title which he won last September, taking on Queensland journeyman, Adrian Rodriquez.
A former national titleholder, Rodriquez is tough and relentless, but will have his hands full with the power, poise and precision of Reeves.
It will be the quietly spoken, but hard hitting unbeaten Reeves’ third fight in his home cauldron, a special place for his supporters who go absolutely ballistic when their man gets the job done.
Happy with the rehabilitation of his injury, the Reeves camp has ramped up training considerably over the past two months, including a training camp in Thailand and frequent sparring to get him into peak shape for this bout, his 11th professional fight.
Tomlinson is expecting to see something special in a big night for Reeves in front of a home crowd.
“It will be a tough, competitive fight, which it should be when you are defending a title against a former champion, there’s plenty at stake, Maxy is sure to be inspired by his home crowd,” Tomlinson said.
Wells is fighting as a middleweight for the first time in five years, having worked hard after two disappointing losses in 2023, determined to bounce back with a bang in 2024.
Wells will fight Filipino veteran Arnel Tinampay, who has never been stopped in his 55-fight career.
“He’s tough and comes forward, he used to train and spar with Manny Pacquiao, so I’m expecting a tough fight,” Wells said.
The Wells camp is excited by the opportunities fighting at middleweight might bring in 2024 and beyond.
“I’d love to get into the ring with someone like (Michael) Zerafa, a big name who is there for the taking,” Wells said.
Eastcoast Boxing Club coach, Paul Carroll, who looks after Reeves, Wells and plenty of other talented East Gippsland boxers, is liking what he sees.
“The boys are hungry and working hard, they are ready to go, hopefully it will kickstart a huge year, which will lead to some big fights,” Carroll said.
The night will also see local football club rivalry intensify between Sale and Maffra when Daniel Bedggood, Maffra, and Jack Johnstone, Sale, slug it out in the ring.
The pair – former teammates – will be competing for the newly instigated Gippsland League Light Heavyweight Title with a trophy struck up for what Wildfighter hopes will become an annual tradition.
The fighters will look to pocket $5000 for their club by securing a win with Tomlinson offering up another $1000 for a knockout.
Both boxers have been working hard, Johnstone at a boxing gym in Sale and Bedggood with Carroll and the crew in Bairnsdale.
Promising local boxing talent, Lucy Avage, will also head back into the ring hoping to emulate her victory at Sale last year.
