Benalla’s Joel Eastwood Wins Regional Masters Boxing Title

Wapling said Eastwood only started the sport a few years ago with the aim of improving his fitness, but found a competitive edge after training through the pandemic and overcoming a knee injury. .

“All the boys have been training since before COVID. Joel hurt his knee badly right before he started his debut, and then COVID hit,” Wapling said.

“They were down, they were doing it for fitness and it turned out like that. I asked him and a few others if they were keen to start a fight.

Eastwood felt at home in the ring at the Regional Masters playoff, said Wapling, with a dominant victory over a larger opponent.

“Several fighters have been going[to the Regional Masters]for a while, but Joel got his chance,” Wapling said.

“He fought well. He worked hard with me and some others to get the opportunity. The guy he was up against was taller, had a lot more reach and looked bigger.

“Over four two-minute rounds, I felt he won each round convincingly, but in the final round his fitness really kicked in and he really dominated what sealed it. “

Eastwood’s victory caps off a remarkable year for LG Boxing.

In March, 23-year-old Tom Newton finished runner-up in the Australian team’s National Selection Tournament, and in December, Paul Christie won the Australian Amateur Boxing Championship to become Super Middleweight Champion.

Wapling said last year was a very successful year for boxing with a fair amount of training and hard work.

“A lot of people don’t understand what these boys are sacrificing to maintain their weight and stay fit.

“It’s one of the hardest forms of fitness. You train as hard outside the ring as you do in the ring, where you deal and deliver punches.

“Some people may not get the chance[to compete competitively]but I was lucky to get three wins in 2022. I was aiming to get out a little more to compete, which is good. That’s it.”

Events at the next Masters in Wodonga, Cobram and Melbourne are gearing up for the not too distant future.