Rocky kick boxers ready to battle

Adam Hagedorn and Wes Mainhardt get in some training with the Hallrazor Fight Club.

ALLAN REINIKKA

RUBEN Fraser only takes his fighters away if he thinks they are ready to do battle and this weekend he has high hopes for four of his Muay Thai boxers from the Hellrazor Fight Club.

The four are off to Brisbane with James “Shirvo” Shirvington heading the bill as the main fight of the night.

Shirvington knows he will be given a tough time as he is not only fighting a very capable and experienced kick boxer in Adam King, but also facing an opponent who will be receiving the support of his home fans.

Corporate Boxing Gym is the venue and one made famous by the King family, but according to Fraser, if Shirvington follows instructions he could come away with a victory.

King has fought at Rockhampton and topped the bill here when he met another handy opponent in Shaun Warren.

“Shirvo is really stepping up here,” Fraser said.

“If he gets out of his normal style of counter-fighting I know he can win,” Fraser said.

While wanting Shirvington to take the fight to King, the tactic can leave a fighter open to a sucker blow, bringing about his downfall.

Confidence has never been a problem for Shirvington, but he also backs up his claims in the ring.

“I’ve never felt so fit in my life,” he said.

Both he and fellow club member Mitch Schukking recently spent five days training with Andrew Keogh, one of the finest exponents of the sport.

“We learned a lot of technical things,” Shirvington said.

Wes Mainhardt never looks hurried either in or out of the ring, winning his last fight in Rockhampton with a display of composed and yet ruthless efficiency.

On Saturday he faces Louie Latenschutz, another fighter from the Corporate Boxing Club, in a contest he should win on experience.

Latenschutz has trained at the sport for a couple of years, but on Saturday he will feel the adrenaline rush of stepping through the ropes to face an opponent in front of a vociferous crowd for the first time.

“I’ve trained really hard and feel more committed (to kickboxing),” Mainhardt said.

Adam “Granite Chin” Hagedorn is another fighter who always looks totally relaxed.

He too was an impressive winner at Rockhampton late last year, bringing his win loss record to two and two.

Hagedorn meets Ben Kuhaney in the 72kg division, a fighter with a two from two win ratio.

“I’m out to give him his first loss,” he said with a big grin.

“I’m going to come out and pressure all the way.

“I’ll be going for the knock-out.”

Joel Eliott is one of the most stylish fighters around and yet he goes to Brisbane with the less than frightening record of zero wins from five contests.

“We call him no-win,” Fraser joked.

“But he is a far better fighter than a none from five record.”

Fraser has done Eliott few favours as he has matched him in the 80kg division with Peter Gordon, a fighter with an impressive eight win, two loss record.

“This guy is pretty good, but Joel needs something to get him out of his shell,” the trainer said.

“His technique is good and his fitness is up there and so once Joel gets that first win he’ll be unstoppable.

“He is certainly not lacking in determination.”

The Stadium Niteclub is the venue once more for a further promotion in about seven weeks time.

Fraser plans to bring the fights back to Rockhampton on April 10 and he promises a full card for the event.

As the promoter Fraser said, this highly popular event is in danger of being lost to the city unless sponsors can be secured.

To gain further details contact Ruben Fraser on 0424 849 221.