IRISH BOXER Tony Bates will make his return following an eight-month hiatus from the ring in Australia this weekend.
The Sydney-based lightweight, who had been struggling with a wrist injury in the latter half of 2012, is rated as a genuine prospect Down Under and is in line to make his seventh appearance as a professional in Queensland this tomorrow.
Just 24, ‘The Irish Psycho’ boasts a record of six straight victories to date, with four being won by way of knockout. Originally hailing from Clondalkin, Bates believes he has improved immensely as a boxer since swapping West Dublin for West Sydney.
The local Quarryvale boxing club was where he first demonstrated an early ability. But there were, he admits, distractions.
“I had some decent successes as an amateur boxer when I was younger,” he recalls. “I was Leinster champion and I was also national semi-finalist on a couple of occasions. But I look back now with a little bit of regret that I didn’t apply myself a bit better.
“I got sidetracked with stupid stuff like drinking and partying, which affected my ability to train and commit to the sport properly’.
In 2008, Bates’ world was turned upside down, literally, when he was forced to leave Ireland in search of a new life in Australia. He had just lost his job and, with little prospect of finding new employment, he was faced with emigration. Ironically, the dreaded move from home provided the former electrician with just the spark that he needed to get his boxing career going.
He resumed training in Australia with new vigour and motivation.
“I impressed in my first few fights as an amateur in Australia and as a result I got put onto Jeff Fenech (three weight world champion and now trainer). Jeff then left Oz to pursue other goals in America but luckily Billy Hussein had noticed me in sparring with Garth Wood (winner of reality TV show ‘The Contender’) and he offered me the chance to train at his gym as a pro.”
Tomorrow? He’ll face Kurt Finlayson and the Dubliner will be expected to notch up the seventh straight victory of his professional career; but he insists he’ll be taking nothing for granted. “I believe it is very important to remain humble as a fighter. You’re only ever one punch away from being knocked out and if you have the wrong attitude you can be forgotten about very quickly in this game.”
