SPORT
Friday March 12, 2021
Cairns Local News
King in the North defends his crown TANYA MURPHY THREE Far North Queensland locals will compete for Muay Thai Queensland titles tomorrow night in the first round of the Elite Fight Series for 2021, with each taking on an opponent from the Gold Coast. Hundreds of supporters are expected to pack the Fred Moule Pavilion at Cairns Showground from 6pm for the event. The first title match of the night will star 16-year-old Cooktown local and former world champion Oliver “The Butcher” Hanson from Full Boar Gym. He will be defending his Muay Thai Queensland (MTQ) Youth 16-17 Title, against Lewis Essery from Fighters Haven on the Gold Coast. Oliver has 33 fights and 21 wins under his belt, including winning the world title once when he was 12. He has fought in the International Federation of Muaythai Federations (IFMA) competition in Thailand three times. Oliver’s trainer Vince Parkes said Oliver hadn’t stopped training since he was 10 and had improved a great deal in that time becoming an “intelligent all-rounder.” The second title to be contested will be the World Muaythai Council (WMC) Welterweight Pro Title and will see Cairns local Ryan “The Demon” Mcdonald from the Fight Academy (DF Gym) take on Taniera Terry of Strikeforce Gym. Ryan, 30, has been training in Muay Thai for more than 15 years and moved to Cairns five years ago to teach at DF Gym. He’s had 35 fights and holds an Elite Fight Series title and a Queensland ISKA title. DF Gym owner Patrick Doherty said Ryan was a skilful all-rounder. “His best weapons are that he is a pressure fighter with big hands. He won the last fight with
a big knock out with his hands. He’s done that a few times, and hoping to do a bit more of the same on Saturday.” The third title to be contested will be for the WMC Queensland Middleweight Pro Title and will see Cairns local Matthew “Choppy” Smith of Nukzu Muay Thai take on James Honey of Strikeforce Gym on the Gold Coast. Matthew, 32, has been fighting for nearly ten years and has won an Australian World Kick Boxing Federation (WKBF) Title, an International Sport Karate and Kickboxing Association (ISKA) South Pacific Title, and a Cage Soldiers tournament. The security guard and father of two said he was excited for a rematch with Honey, who defeated him for the same title a couple of years ago. “I’m feeling really good. I was carrying a couple of injuries when I fought James last, but now my body and mind are on point,” he said. The other much-anticipated pro bouts of the night will see Bernard Temu from Fight IQ Cairns take on Torin O’Brien from Snakepit Gym Rockhampton, and Mark Walker from Fusion Fight and Fitness Cairns will take on Daniel Lee Grant from Black Dog Muay Thai in Kuranda. There will also be six other fights on the night with elbow pads allowed. This event is the first of four in the Elite Fight Series for 2021, with the others being held at the same venue on June 26, September 11 and November 20. Tickets are available on the door, or in advance from Explosive Fight Promotions.
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Cooktown’s Oliver Hanson
WAFL dreams for Mya PETER MCCULLAGH THE Cairns Academy of Port welcomed Gold Coast Suns player Jarrod Harbrow for a program of mentoring with their young athletes.
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tered the Academy’s program recently. “The programs give young athletes an opportunity to excel and hopefully go to the next level.
Jarrod an AFL veteran playing with the Western Bulldogs and in recent years the Gold Coast Suns is pleased to have the opportunity to return to his birthplace and work with young aspiring athletes.
“Once I heard about the AFL program here, I was super excited, and my future was more achievable.
Cairns Academy of Sport member, Mya Cozzulo, a WAFL player in Cairns en-
Mya is a recent addition to AFL. After three seasons she has stamped herself as
“I’m studying Allied Health, it gives me options and a fallback if needed.” she said..
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a player of the future, after a very successful season and finals campaign. Coming from an athletics background Mya found AFL the ideal fit for her body type and abilities. Playing centre-half back for the Cairns City Lions, however she had a reputation for running and driving the ball forward. With a professional AFL career in mind Mya would love to eventually be a listed contracted player with the Gold Coast Suns.
“I’d love to be drafted with the Suns, its so close to home. Making the connection with the Suns early on is important for me,” she said. Preseason
has
been
tough for Mya, training with the men’s team. “Somehow I keep up with them, I don’t know how, but I was a national runner, it’s really kicking me in the bum at the moment, getting super fit,” she added.
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