Goulburn Valley Boxing Academy members produce a string of stirring wins to end year on a high

First up was Chris Boland, staking his claim in Fiji on October 28.

He was set to meet Fijian National Team captain Jone Davule in the ring, but with his counterpart pulling out due to a family grievance, “Bomber Boy’’ had to settle for a new opponent: Cheng Song Junior.

Ironically, though 18-year-old Boland was years younger than his opponent, the difference in class was clear-cut according to coach Zedda Harrington.

“We didn’t know the opponent had changed until the team picked us up,” he said.

“We were up for a massive challenge — (Davule) went on to win the Pan Pacific gold, so he’ll be in the Olympics next year.

“We fought a fill-in, he still had 16 fights and was an elite-aged boxer, but Chris done it easy.

“It wasn’t a close fight at all, but with that said, we still had to get used to the international experience, we still took that on board with the climate and conditions over there.”

Harrington was rapt with the Pacific tour, his own experience sweetened by overseeing several fighters under an elite Victorian boxing team banner.

Upon return, Harrington switched his focus to his 11-year-old son Izaiah.

The duo headed north for the Boss Boxing-hosted First Nations Championships on November 11 in Brisbane, where the pre-teen met Darcy Wagner in the ring.

“Darcy Wagner is a crafty little boxer and they just put on an absolute barnburner, it was awesome,” Harrington said.

“The last time I saw little kids like that put on a show and get the appreciation of the crowd throwing money was when his uncle Iggy fought at Sunshine against Keith Ellis’ boy in 2003.

“Twenty years on, it was going to be a flashback to that fight, so it was pretty special.”

Harrington, 11, “won an absolute war”, according to his dad, and topping it off, the battle between the youngsters was awarded fight of the night.

After the split decision went the Goulburn Valley boxer’s way, the night became even more memorable as Olympian Cameron Hammond was on hand to sling the medal around Harrington’s neck.

The good news for GVBA kept rolling on a fortnight later.

Luke Slater, the oldest and most prestigious of the stable’s fighters, fought Lachlan Nguyen in Melbourne with the WBF Masters Title on the line.

Slater headed in for the biggest bout of his career, a rematch against Nguyen, ready to shake the house down.

What unfolded was almost underwhelming.

Not by any fault of his own, Slater waltzed the fight to take out a unanimous points decision, drawing his coach’s admiration while posing the question of ‘‘who’s next?’’ for the fleet-footed 44-year-old.

“He’s pretty untouchable in the Masters now,” Harrington said.

“They go ‘what’s left for him now’, and after talking to the promoter of MBV (Masters Boxing Victoria), we’re going to have to look at either going international or bringing someone in.

“That was a rematch against Lachlan Nguyen, he done him comfortable the first time, they put the WBF on the line which is probably the best belt you can get around here in the Masters and he cleaned it out.

“Luke always wants to set the bar and I think it’s becoming a little bit stale for him now. With all due respect to what he’s fighting in, I think we need to change things up.”

Harrington said the prospect of an international fight for Slater was entirely possible and immediately quashed the thought of retirement for his star pupil following the comprehensive display.

But there was little time to dwell on the matter.

Two weeks after Slater’s sizzling victory, Harrington took sons Izaiah and Urijah to Canberra for the last action of the year.

Younger sibling Izaiah jumped up a weight class to fight Reece Attard and won via points decision, while 12-year-old Urijah fought Mexican-born Diego Martinez, who he also defeated.

Harrington was proud to see his sons fight on the same card and close out 2023 with three wins from three.

“(With Izaiah) being 11 years old, with his three fights it’s been pretty mindblowing ... the skills that he possesses are pretty impressive,” he said.

“I think Boxing Australia are pretty excited about him coming up through the ranks.

“(For Urijah), it was the first teenager he had fought, the first round was a little bit even and then he got in his groove, gave him a standing eight count in the last round and got more comfortable as the fight went on.

“They’ve got really big futures those two boys; they both end up with three wins and no losses.”

And with that, it’s safe to say GVBA has finished 2023 on a high.

The crew has taken a gym in little old Mooroopna statewide, nationwide and even international in its first full year without disruption after COVID-19 and floods backed them into a corner for so long.

And after a short break, Harrington says they’ll be ready to come out swinging in 2024.

“It’s been an absolutely massive year in terms of kilometres covered and we’re looking forward to a Christmas break because we’ve well and truly deserved it,” Harrington said.

“This is our first year of actually having a bit of momentum and we’ve grabbed it and ran with it.

“It’s a credit to everyone who’s put in, the sponsors on board helping us with the travelling because it’s a massive commitment.

“We’re looking forward to what the future holds next year.”