Club Culture Leads Boxers To National Success

Three boxers from Home Hill’s Rock Solid Boxing Club have travelled to Hobart, Tasmania, representing the Burdekin and the state at the Australian Amateur Boxing League Titles.

Jerry Southwell, Callan Taiters and Kane Lowis have weighed in this morning, Thursday, October 23, with competition to get underway across the next three nights.

Rock Solid Boxing Club Trainer Scott McLean said four Australian titles and 15 Queensland titles have come out of the club in its 14-year history.

“This is a big one this year because we’re taking three guys from such a small club,” he said.

“They’ve been training hard, they’re fit, they’re ready to go.”

From pulling trucks and flipping tyres to repeated sprints up Mount Inkerman, Jerry Southwell, Callan Taiters and Kane Lowis have been training hard ahead of this week’s Australian Amateur Boxing League Titles.

The three boxers are competing in Hobart, Tasmania from Thursday to Saturday and while Rock Solid Boxing Club Trainer Scott McLean would love to see their hard work rewarded with national titles, he’s proud of their efforts no matter the result.

“If we were to come away with three Australian titles down there, it’d be huge, but I’m not too worried about the results,” he said.

“As long as their performances are at their best, that’s all we really care about.”

Rock Solid Boxing Club has had a storied history, with state, national and Golden Glove titles coming out of the club.

18-year-old Kane is responsible for a number of those, with two state titles and one Golden Gloves title to his name.

Kane has been boxing for five years and competing in senior divisions since he was 16 with this being his first Australian titles, although he was selected last year and was unable to attend.

“It’s been a long training camp, but it’s been good,” he said.

“We’ve been training hard, lots of running, lots of sparring, I’m feeling fit, feeling ready.”

Kane said he loves the feeling of the fight and the satisfaction of the training, saying nerves don’t consume him as much as they did earlier in his career.

“When it gets hard, a lot of people want to quit, a lot of people don’t have what it takes to commit to a sport like this, it’s a lot of hard work,” he said.

“Even if you don’t win the fight, just pushing through and being there and giving it your all, it’s an amazing feeling.

“The more experience you have, you just learn to harness the nerves and use them to the best of your ability.”

Callan and Jerry may be earlier in their careers but are equally prepared to give national titles a red hot crack after taking out their respective divisions at Golden Gloves and being selected to represent Queensland.

Callan, 15 years old, has only been boxing for the last five months.

“It’s crazy to think that I’ve gotten here so fast, but it’s good to put the hard work in,” he said.

“I think I just love the fighting part, but the training part’s always worth it.

“You feel good afterwards and while you’re in the ring.”

13-year-old Jerry, who has been boxing for three years, said consistency got him this far at such a young age.

“Just showing up every day and putting in the work,” he said.

“I love the feeling of getting out of the ring, win or loss; it feels amazing.”

Scott said the three boys exemplify the culture of the club and the community.

“I’m always proud of all my boxers,” he said.

“We have a real bond in the whole club and there’s a culture in the club that’s been carried on.

“Everywhere I’ve taken these boys, their manners, their respect, their sportsmanship has been second to none.

“It’s not all about the boxing, it’s so much more about what we can do for these kids in the community and making them champion people.”

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Local boxers Jerry Southwell, Callan Taiters and Kane Lowis are in Hobart competing for Australian Titles. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

Jerry Southwell, Rock Solid Boxing Club Trainer Scott McLean, Callan Taiters and Kane Lowis. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

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