Lake Macquarie's world boxing champion Blake Minto will share the ring with four amateurs from his Toronto gym when he fights in Newcastle on Saturday night.
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It's the biggest representation on a fight night undercard for Minto's Team Machine Boxing Club, and proof of the positive influence Minto's having on young men who train at his gym.
Minto, 26, the World Boxing Foundation world super lightweight champion, will take on Irish-born Sydneysider, Gearoid Clancy, at Newcastle Exhibition and Convention Centre (NEX).
The pair will contest the International Boxing Organisation's vacant Asia Pacific super lightweight title.
"Clancy is a very skillful boxer and a seasoned professional, so my job will be to break his rhythm as much as possible," Minto said.
"It will be my biggest fight to date and I am hoping for a parochial crowd in my home town."
It'll also be a big night for local amateurs Tristan Maskell, Lachlan Pennell, Max Ward, and Joe Ling.
Maskell, 21, of Bonnells Bay, has a wardrobe full of cruiserweight belts, including the Australian, NSW and Global League International Boxing Incorporated titles.
Maskell will be looking for his 14th consecutive win.
Remarkably, Maskell started he amateur career with three losses.
He attributes his transformation to a dedicated fitness regime, and the technical input from his trainers Daniel Ford, Chad Griffiths, and Matt Ford.
Having Minto in his orbit has also proved handy.
"It's just Blake's experience. It's helped me a lot," Maskell said of his development.
Minto's known for his supreme fitness, and it's clear his work ethic has rubbed off on the young boxers training at the gym.
Among them is Lachlan Pennell, 19, of Awaba.
It will be Pennell's second fight, but his first at cruiserweight.
His previous bout was in the super heavyweight division (91 kg).
Pennell said a renewed commitment to training saw him lose 20kg in about six months.
"I've been training just about every day, and I'm feeling a lot fitter and better than I did before my last fight, which was a bit of a slug-fest," he said.
"But now with my improved fitness I've got better footwork and I'm learning the finer points of boxing."
- Visit proticket.com.au.
