Muay Thai fighter Blade Augey, 25, shows off the spoils ... · punches and lost some weight and I...
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Centralian Advocate, Friday, August 30, 2013 — 55 SPORT Thank Lord for fighter’s itchy feet BOXING Nick Kossatch PROFESSIONAL Alice Springs middleweight boxer Jason Lord is fighting Eng- lishman Jamie Weetch in an Angelo Hyder promotion in Perth tonight. Weetch has had only one professional fight, but is a well-rated amateur fighter in England. ‘‘He’s a UK boy and a national champ over there . . . had a few international fights, so he’s got a good amateur background and I don’t know much about him,’’ Lord said Hyder is one of boxing’s top trainers and promoters in Australia. Lord’s trainer of two years Mark Nixon said Hyder has trained some of the nations’s top boxers. ‘‘He’s trained guys like Jeff Fenech and he’s had bits to do with Danny Green, Anthony Mundine and Kostya Tzu . . . all the big names’’ Nixon said. Nixon has been involved in boxing for three decades. ‘‘These last two years Jason and I have been train- ing together and Jason last year decided to make a comeback after many years out of it,’’ Nixon said. The thought of compe- tition and a healthy lifestyle prompted Lord to get back into the sport he loves. Prior to a hiatus from competition, Lord was an ex-Australian champion. ‘‘I think when I stopped boxing I was number two in Australia, so I was always at that elite level,’’ Lord said. Lord could not specify as to who was his toughest opponent as the quality of fighters he competed against was elite at national or international level. ‘‘Itchy feet mainly, I reckon it was just playing around throwing some punches and lost some weight and I got fitter and stronger again. ‘‘The skills were pretty much intact and then we had that fight opportunity in Perth which is under the Danny Green card, Dave Galvin and I, and that pretty much got the ball rolling,’’ Lord said. This convinced Lord that a comeback to competition was the right thing to do. Lord said at the age of 37, the middleweight category presents a chance for boxers to fight at an older age. ‘‘You peak a bit later in middleweight and I haven’t boxed since probably in my early 20s and I haven’t drank or smoked and I hadn’t kept active that much and it’s pretty much a food for me, so I always had the edge,’’ Lord said. He may have more fights in Perth but it depends on the outcome tonight. ‘‘We’ve got probably an opportunity to have another three more fights in Perth before the end of the year and if things pan out pretty good in this one we fight again on October 4, which is a televised event,’’ Lord said. That fight may be against Australian 12th-ranked fighter Sam Hogan, who is currently injured. Not just for kicks MUAY THAI Nick Kossatch Muay Thai fighter Blade Augey, 25, shows off the spoils from his first title win Picture: JUSTIN BRIERTY BLADE Augey has reason to celebrate after claiming his first title in Mel- bourne last week. The 25-year-old professional Muay Thai fighter defeated Geelong-based Pat Richards in a unanimous decision after five rounds of intense fighting in the WBC Victorian State Titles ‘‘He was strong in the grapples but I did better in the punching, kicks and knees,’’ Augey said. His fighting record is impressive and a strict training regime is paying off. ‘‘I have my own gym called Headrush Gym and I do two sessions a day with a lot of cross training in- volved,’’ Augey said. Muay Thai is a traditional Thailand form of martial arts and knees, elbows, kicks and punching are used. ‘‘I’ve been training for around about three years now and competing for three years,’’ Augey said. ‘‘I just needed to find something to get my head in the right place and found an instructor and started train- ing . . . got offered a first fight and then one fight led to another fight.’’ Several people have been big influ- ences throughout his career. ‘‘When I first started, Glenn Orkney was my first trainer and I trained with him for about a year,’’ Augey said. Raymon Dekker is a European fighter who Augey looks up to. Augey went to Canada for a year to compete under trainer Trevor Smandych, then returned here ‘‘I teamed up with a guy named Corey Impelmans and he owns a martial arts academy in Darwin called Man Ho Academy of Martial Arts and Corey is now my head coach, mentor, manager and promoter for my fights, so he organises everything for me. ‘‘I had a majority of my fights under Corey,’’ Augey said. His strong fitness has been re- warded with an impressive fighting record, winning 10 out of 13 fights. Augey’s next assignment may again be interstate. ‘‘I want to give the WMC Titles a shot in Perth, but I am waiting on confirmation if it is to go ahead,’’ Augey said. Augey previously beat current WKA champion Patrick Xena in Perth and said he aims to break into the top five within 12 months. He encourages anyone to join his Headrush Gym with training sessions Monday to Wednesday/Fridays from 6.30pm and kids’ martial arts on Mon- day/Friday at 4.30pm and Wednes- day/Thursday from 4.15pm. Nothing will hold back in-form ace TENNIS Nick Kossatch George Shepheard ALICE Springs tennis star George Shepheard is com- peting at another tennis tournament on the back of a successful campaign last weekend. Shepheard reached the semi final stage last week- end at the Newcastle Topspin Open before losing to Troy Lockwood 6-2 6-2. Shepheard’s coach Matt Roberts said his strong surge in form augured well for two major events in Alice Springs scheduled for September. ‘‘George is backing up from his Mt Isa form and it has been a long road . . . he’s hoping to get his ranking down for the Alice Springs International and Red Centre Open,’’ Roberts said. Shepheard entered the tournament in Newcastle as an unseeded player and be- gan by beating number seven seed William Young in straight sets 6-0 6-0. He made the quarter final stage by beating 10th seed Jack Kliner 6-4 6-2 The quarter finals was against another seeded player, Cameron Green in what Roberts described as a tremendous comeback. Shepheard’s 6-3 4-6 7-6 win included an impressive third set comeback. ‘‘He came back from a break down in the third set to win and that is a pretty good sign in his comeback,’’ Roberts said. Shepheard did a training block at the National Acad- emy in Homebush, Sydney . Hodgins rockets home to earn his licence to thrill DRAG RACING ALICE Springs drag racer Dan Hodgins is the first Northern Territorian to have received a Nitro car licence. Hodgins did a time of 5.97sec over a quarter mile during a test meeting at the Sydney Dragway recently which was enough for him to get the licence. He was proud of the achievement and Hodgins said it could not have been done without his support crew. ‘‘I got a drive with the Rocket Industry and a big thanks to Graeme Cowan and my crew Territory Trimmer boys,’’ Hodgins said. Hodgins will compete on September 8 at the Alice Springs Inland Dragway CADRA Quarter Mile Smile Make-A-Wish Foundation Race Five event. Statistics for the month of August Average daily max temp: 22.6 Average daily min temp: 6 Record highest temp: 35.2 on 22/8/2009 Record lowest temp: -4.1 on 16/8/2002 Average monthly rainfall: 9.2mm Highest monthly rainfall: 144.1 in 1947 Rainfall this month: 0mm Total rainfall last month: 40.2mm Total rainfall this year: 146.2mm Total rainfall last year: 209.4mm Record annual rainfall: 782.5 in 1974 Sunrise: 7.06am Sunset: 6.15pm Outlook issued by the Bureau of Meteorology for Thursday: Sunny Forecast: Fri 30: 35(11) Sat 31: 35(15) Sun 1: 35(16) Mon 2: 33(16)
Transcript of Muay Thai fighter Blade Augey, 25, shows off the spoils ... · punches and lost some weight and I...
Centralian Advocate, Friday, August 30, 2013 — 55
SPORT
Thank Lord for fighter’s itchy feetBOXING
Nick Kossatch
PROFESSIONAL AliceSprings middleweight boxerJason Lord is fighting Eng-lishman Jamie Weetch inan Angelo Hyder promotionin Perth tonight.
Weetch has had only oneprofessional fight, but is awell-rated amateur fighterin England.
‘‘He’s a UK boy and anational champ over there. . . had a few internationalfights, so he’s got a goodamateur background and Idon’t know much abouthim,’’ Lord said
Hyder is one of boxing’stop trainers and promotersin Australia.
Lord’s trainer of two yearsMark Nixon said Hyder has
trained som e of thenations’s top boxers.
‘‘He’s trained guys likeJeff Fenech and he’s hadbits to do with DannyGreen, Anthony Mundineand Kostya Tzu . . . all thebig names’’ Nixon said.
Nixon has been involvedin boxing for three decades.
‘‘These last two yearsJason and I have been train-ing together and Jason lastyear decided to make acomeback after many yearsout of it,’’ Nixon said.
The thought of compe-tition and a healthy lifestyleprompted Lord to get backinto the sport he loves.
Prior to a hiatus fromcompetition, Lord was anex-Australian champion.
‘‘I think when I stoppedboxing I was number two inAustralia, so I was always at
that elite level,’’ Lord said.Lord could not specify as
to who was his toughestopponent as the quality offighters he competedagainst was elite at nationalor international level.
‘‘Itchy feet mainly, Ireckon it was just playingaround throwing somepunches and lost someweight and I got fitter andstronger again.
‘‘The skills were prettymuch intact and then wehad that fight opportunityin Perth which is under theDanny Green card, DaveGalvin and I, and thatpretty much got the ballrolling,’’ Lord said.
This convinced Lord thata comeback to competitionwas the right thing to do.
Lord said at the age of 37,the middleweight category
presents a chance for boxersto fight at an older age.
‘‘You peak a bit later inmiddleweight and I haven’tboxed since probably in myearly 20s and I haven’tdrank or smoked and Ihadn’t kept active thatmuch and it’s pretty much afood for me, so I always hadthe edge,’’ Lord said.
He may have more fightsin Perth but it depends onthe outcome tonight.
‘‘We’ve got probably anopportunity to have anotherthree more fights in Perthbefore the end of the yearand if things pan out prettygood in this one we fightagain on October 4, which isa televised event,’’ Lord said.
That fight may be againstAustralian 12th-rankedfighter Sam Hogan, who iscurrently injured.
Not just for kicksMUAY THAI
Nick Kossatch
Muay Thai fighter Blade Augey, 25, shows off the spoils from his first title win Picture: JUSTIN BRIERTY
BLADE Augey has reason to celebrateafter claiming his first title in Mel-bourne last week.
The 25-year-old professional MuayThai fighter defeated Geelong-basedPat Richards in a unanimous decisionafter five rounds of intense fighting inthe WBC Victorian State Titles
‘‘He was strong in the grapples but Idid better in the punching, kicks andknees,’’ Augey said.
His fighting record is impressive anda strict training regime is paying off.
‘‘I have my own gym calledHeadrush Gym and I do two sessions aday with a lot of cross training in-volved,’’ Augey said.
Muay Thai is a traditional Thailandform of martial arts and knees, elbows,kicks and punching are used.
‘‘I’ve been training for around aboutthree years now and competing forthree years,’’ Augey said.
‘‘I just needed to find something toget my head in the right place andfound an instructor and started train-ing . . . got offered a first fight and thenone fight led to another fight.’’
Several people have been big influ-ences throughout his career.
‘‘When I first started, Glenn Orkneywas my first trainer and I trained withhim for about a year,’’ Augey said.
Raymon Dekker is a Europeanfighter who Augey looks up to.
Augey went to Canada for a year tocompete under trainer TrevorSmandych, then returned here
‘‘I teamed up with a guy namedCorey Impelmans and he owns amartial arts academy in Darwin calledMan Ho Academy of Martial Arts andCorey is now my head coach, mentor,
manager and promoter for my fights,so he organises everything for me.
‘‘I had a majority of my fights underCorey,’’ Augey said.
His strong fitness has been re-warded with an impressive fightingrecord, winning 10 out of 13 fights.
Augey’s next assignment may againbe interstate.
‘‘I want to give the WMC Titles ashot in Perth, but I am waiting onconfirmation if it is to go ahead,’’Augey said.
Augey previously beat current WKAchampion Patrick Xena in Perth andsaid he aims to break into the top fivewithin 12 months.
He encourages anyone to join hisHeadrush Gym with training sessionsMonday to Wednesday/Fridays from6.30pm and kids’ martial arts on Mon-day/Friday at 4.30pm and Wednes-day/Thursday from 4.15pm.
Nothing will holdback in-form aceTENNIS
Nick Kossatch
George Shepheard
ALICE Springs tennis starGeorge Shepheard is com-peting at another tennistournament on the back of asuccessful campaign lastweekend.
Shepheard reached thesemi final stage last week-end at the NewcastleTopspin Open before losingto Troy Lockwood 6-2 6-2.
Shepheard’s coach MattRoberts said his strongsurge in form augured wellfor two major events inAlice Springs scheduled forSeptember.
‘‘George is backing upfrom his Mt Isa form and ithas been a long road . . . he’shoping to get his rankingdown for the Alice SpringsInternational and RedCentre Open,’’ Roberts said.
Shepheard entered thetournament in Newcastle asan unseeded player and be-gan by beating numberseven seed William Youngin straight sets 6-0 6-0.
He made the quarter final
stage by beating 10th seedJack Kliner 6-4 6-2
The quarter finals wasagainst another seededplayer, Cameron Green inwhat Roberts described as atremendous comeback.
Shepheard’s 6-3 4-6 7-6 winincluded an impressive thirdset comeback.
‘‘He came back from abreak down in the third setto win and that is a prettygood sign in his comeback,’’Roberts said.
Shepheard did a trainingblock at the National Acad-emy in Homebush, Sydney .
Hodgins rockets home toearn his licence to thrillDRAG RACING
ALICE Springs drag racerDan Hodgins is the firstNorthern Territorian tohave received a Nitro carlicence.
Hodgins did a time of5.97sec over a quarter mileduring a test meeting at theSydney Dragway recentlywhich was enough for himto get the licence.
He was proud of theachievement and Hodgins
said it could not have beendone without his supportcrew.
‘‘I got a drive with theRocket Industry and a bigthanks to Graeme Cowanand my crew TerritoryTrimmer boys,’’ Hodginssaid.
Hodgins will compete onSeptember 8 at the AliceSprings Inland DragwayCADRA Quarter Mile SmileMake-A-Wish FoundationRace Five event.
Statistics for themonth of August
Average daily max temp: 22.6Average daily min temp: 6Record highest temp: 35.2 on 22/8/2009Record lowest temp: -4.1 on 16/8/2002Average monthly rainfall: 9.2mmHighest monthly rainfall: 144.1 in 1947Rainfall this month: 0mmTotal rainfall last month: 40.2mmTotal rainfall this year: 146.2mmTotal rainfall last year: 209.4mmRecord annual rainfall: 782.5 in 1974Sunrise: 7.06am Sunset: 6.15pmOutlook issued by the Bureau of Meteorology forThursday: SunnyForecast:Fri 30: 35(11) Sat 31: 35(15) Sun 1: 35(16) Mon 2:33(16)
