TWO Hills district boxers are vying for positions in the Commonwealth boxing squad going to India.
Josh Francis 24, of Winston Hills, fights in the super-heavyweight open division (91kg+).
Rick Colosimo, 23, of Kellyville, is fighting in junior welterweight (under 64kg). He weighs in at 63.5kg.
Francis, who weighs 97kg, has recovered from a waterskiing injury to try to qualify for the Commonwealth Games.
Coach David Jenkins, of Castle Hill Self Defence Centre, said Francis had been boxing competitively for only 14 months but had been undefeated.
“He has taken to boxing quickly, he’s a natural competitor, he was a promising football player but had to retire from the sport because of a neck injury,” Jenkins said.
Francis has to win five fights to get a spot on the Commonwealth team, with the first match on Friday at St George RSL.
The winner of the NSW fights will fight in a three-day knockout tournament in Perth.
“Josh has limited experience but he’s a natural competitor, he’s very confident, single-minded and focused on what he needs to do,” Jenkins said.
“Rick Colosimo was trying out for the last Commonwealth Games but suffered an ankle injury while training at the AIS in Canberra.”
This year Colosimo has completed three sessions a day over two weeks at the Australian Institute of Sport.
He has been selected in a development squad.
Jenkins said Colosimo had to qualify the same way as Francis to get into the Commonwealth Games.
“Rick has been in the sport for seven years so he has a lot of amateur experience,” he said.
“He fought Lenny Zap early in his career - Lenny went on to win a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games.”
WINSTON Hills boxer Josh Francis is one fight closer to a trip to India to fight at the Commonwealth Games after knocking out his opponent in a selection trial at St George RSL on Sunday night.
Fighting in the super-heavyweight division Francis sent Toutali Hala, of Manly Fight Gym, to the canvas three times in the first round to win his bout by knockout.
Big hit in just a minute
23 Feb, 2010 09:47 AM
IT'S becoming a trend for Winston Hills boxer Josh Francis to knock out his opponents in under a minute.
Late last year he achieved a 40-second knock-out in an amateur fight night and more recently won an all-important selection trial for the Commonwealth Games in under one minute. ``It seems to be getting like that,' he said of the short fights. ``I like it that way.'
Francis, 25, won against Toutali Hala, of Manly Fight Gym, at St George RSL in the super-heavyweight division last Sunday night. ``I landed a punch on him early and put him down a few more times after that. The ref stopped the fight and it was all over.
``Actually, I wasn't expecting a quick fight at all. I wasn't confident going in there. My wrist wasn't the best so I wasn't feeling too good. I was expecting a tough fight but it worked out all right.'
The win has taken him a step closer to fighting at the Commonwealth Games. He's now off to the national championships in Perth next month.
``The first and second winners from there get scholarships to the Australian Institute of Sport for three months. At the end of the three months, first and second fight off to see who takes the place for the Commonwealth Games. First place goes to the Commonwealth Games and second place goes to the Oceania Games.'
The Commonwealth Games are in India in October and the Oceania Games are in August at the AIS.
Francis has only been fighting for two years and while the Commonwealth Games are in close reach they were never a goal.
``I took up boxing and really enjoyed it. I never even thought about any more than that. I just sort of ended up here.'
Now, the focus is on staying injury-free and training hard for the nationals.
His coach, David Jenkins, at Castle Hill Self-Defence Centre, said: ``He's a path of destruction. He's only been boxing for a short time and what he's done in the last 12 months is what some fighters would take years to achieve. It's an incredible achievement for him and also for the club.'
Fellow club member Rick Colosimo, of Kellyville, also competed in the selection trials but lost his fight on points.
Under amateur rules, the referee was obliged to stop the fight after Hala was knocked down the third time.
Francis’ coach David Jenkins said his fighter would now go straight into the Commonwealth Games trials finals.
“The finals will be in four weeks in Perth,” Jenkins said.
“Josh has started preparing for the finals this week,” he said.
“He has a very good chance to represent Australia.
“He has a tight defence and has a powerful punch,” Jenkins said.
On Friday, another Jenkins-trained fighter Rick Colosimo, who was trying to qualify for the Commonwealth Games, lost his fight with Chris Reidy at St George RSL on points.
Jenkins said Colosimo still had a chance to make the Games squad but he would have to fight his way back to grab the second spot available in the junior welterweight (under-64kg) division.
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