Golden Gloves for Torres Strait heavyweights

BY ALF WILSON

Power punching Torres Strait Islander boxers Rocky Savage and Thomas Warria-Utromu won gold medals in the heavyweight divisions at the prestigious Sunstate Amateur Boxing League Golden Gloves tournament in Cairns earlier this month.

The 85 bouts were held at Caravonica State School Hall with boxers from as far away as Tasmania, Orange, Albury/ Wodonga, Bendigo, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Melbourne.

Boxers also competed from clubs in Yarrabah, Townsville, Cairns, Home Hill, Babinda, Weipa, Mount Isa, Charters Towers, Tully, Mareeba and Port Douglas.

Rocky, 22, came from Townsville Club Flatenem and has connections to St Paul’s, Darnley and Masig.

He took out the heavyweight novice division for boxers weighing more than 91kg who have had less that six bouts, defeating Dom Pelblast from FTS Club on points in his qualifying bout.

He then faced another Torres Strait Islander, Jeremy Yorkston, who represented

Cairns club Old School in the final.

The bout was described as “Torres Heaven” by enthusiasts in the crowd.

Rocky won a hard fought contest over three rounds, despite fighting with a painful wisdom tooth, trainer and former pro boxer Gonzo Hooper said.

“Rocky planned to have the wisdom tooth removed well before the Gold Gloves

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“He fought with pain and had the tooth removed two days after winning the final.”

Thomas, who fought for Townsville Club Art of Strength, took out the Heavyweight Open Division beating Nick Ranglu from Redlynch in the final by points over four rounds.