Launceston Boxing Club members Jak Hadley (front), Tyler Blizzard, Darren Smith and Bailey Wells. Picture: PHILLIP BIGGS
Reigning schoolboy amateur 57 kilogram champion Jak Hadley, former schoolboy national titleholder Tyler Blizzard and up-and-coming talent Darren Smith will travel to Adelaide as part of the Tasmanian contingent at the Australian Amateur Boxing Championships for youth, juniors and schoolboys, which starts on February 13.
All three train at the newly formed Launceston Boxing Club, which is a merger of the Newstead and Prospect boxing clubs, under the watchful eyes of head coach and former Newstead aficionado Craig Tobler and ex-Prospect coach Simon Tennant.
Hadley won gold in Hobart last year by defeating Queenslander Dennis Kovats in the 57kg schoolboys' division.
Hadley's clubmate, 14-year-old Blizzard, won gold at the national titles in 2011 and hopes to claim gold again in the 38kg division.
Smith, 15, will represent the state for the first time and is hoping to build on his fledgling junior career, which stands at three wins from three fights.
Tobler, who managed the state team at last year's titles in Hobart, said he was confident Hadley would defend his title after showing steady improvement over the past few months.
``Young Blizzard is in top form in the gym and I would expect him to walk away with a gold medal around his neck as well,'' Tobler said.
He said while Smith had only three fights up until now, the way in which he had developed over that time had impressed everyone in the sport.
The club has been growing steadily since the two Launceston-based clubs merged at the start of the year and caters for budding amateur boxers as well as people of all ages who want to increase their fitness or learn some self-defence.
Tobler said he was pleased to see an influx of young girls wanting to take up the sport with the club boasting up to nine female members aged 14 and over.
He said the club hoped to have several of the young charges making their debut in the ring in the not-too-distant future, including 15-year-old Tayla Franjic, 13-year-old Danielle Clayton and 14-year-old Tegan Collins.
Tobler said the club also boasted a number of budding talents in the ring, such as 11-year-old Bailey Wells, who already has three amateur fights under his belt, Sam Newman, Corey Gesler and Brodie Clayton.
The club trains at the former Prospect club site behind the Italian Club, Monday-Thursday from 6pm and Saturday mornings.
