JACK Unwin will enter the ring on Saturday night as a professional boxer for the first time.
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The Launceston-born, Darwin-based fighter will meet South Australian Victor Odindo on the undercard to Tasmanian Luke Jackson’s WBO oriental title bout with African Mohammed Kamburuta at Hobart City Hall.
“I can’t wait, I’ve done a lot of hard work since I decided to go pro,” Unwin, 25, said.
“All the hard work is done and this week is just about getting sharp, refining things and doing some gameplan work ready for weigh-in on Friday and the fight on Saturday.
“Since I was a late teenager I’ve worked fly-in, fly-out in the mining industry… in the last few years I’ve got a few fights under my belt and started to show signs that I was going to be half-decent at it.”
Unwin boasts a 13-win, two-loss and two-draw amateur record, while Odindo is unbeaten after just one elite fight.
But Unwin is confident he can get his professional career off to a positive start with a welterweight (66.7 kilograms) victory.
“I should feel nice and strong at that weight,” Unwin said.
“Victor is a very tough and fit fighter with a lot of heart … but I believe I’m going to get the win.”
Unwin, a father to five-month-old Olive Joy, said his strength was his unrelenting commitment made possible only through the support of his fiancee Estelle Pike and father Stephen Lewis.
“My strength is hard work, I’m a big believer in the power of positivity.
My strength is hard work, I’m a big believer in the power of positivity.
- Boxer Jack Unwin
“I have no ego when it comes to my boxing and I want to be the best I can be and others around me to be as well – you get out of things what you put in.”
Coach Graeme George, Daniel Geale’s junior mentor, said his latest star displays the same potential and dedication as the former multiple world champion.
Unwin flies from Darwin to Launceston about every six weeks to train with George, who normally coaches him from afar using the internet.
Two-time Tasmanian Olympic boxer Wayne Devlin, 72, spent some time with his fellow Launcestonian this week and said that he had the potential to go a long way.
“I’m impressed with what I see,” Devlin said.
“He looks the goods, he has a very good build for a boxer.”
Corey Martin
Having started at The Examiner as a cadet in 2009, I have held various positions telling the stories of Northern Tasmanians in sport and news. I was appointed deputy editor in 2019 and became editor in September 2021.
Having started at The Examiner as a cadet in 2009, I have held various positions telling the stories of Northern Tasmanians in sport and news. I was appointed deputy editor in 2019 and became editor in September 2021.
