He is sharp, quick and effortlessly powerful but Allan Tanada’s next bout will be arguably one of the toughest of his five-year boxing career.
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Early next month Tanada, a Phillipine-born 59kg contender who now calls Gunnedah home, will challenge Perth boxer Matt Garlett for the prestigious WBC (World Boxing Council) International Super Featherweight Title.
The significance of the occasion certainly wasn’t lost on Tanada or his trainer, Spike Syphers, from Gunnedah’s Black and Blue Boxing Gym.
“This is going to be a tough fight, (Garlett) is number two in Australia and a WBC champion,” Spike said from the club bunker.
Garlett is a formidable adversary having not lost a single bout since April 2010, and since then has racked up nine wins for a total of 11 in his career. That slip-up two years ago has been his only loss to date.
But that didn’t bother Spike, he was too excited to be anxious; well in the knowledge his well-travelled pugilist has the experience to handle whatever situation confronts him come fight night on September 7.
“Allan has a lot of experience behind him,” Spike said.
“He has fought in America, Puerto Rico and Japan, and he’s fought on the Manny Pacquiao undercard, which you have to be a fairly reasonable boxer to get on that.
“He’s fought the tough fighters of the world, all over, and now’s taking on Australia.”
Pacquiao, who it was reported last year was the second highest paid athlete in the world with total yearly earnings of $62 million, was named the 2000’s fighter of the decade by the WBC.
The Gunnedah gym recently welcomed back newly decorated state title winner, Wade Ryan, who Spike expected to return bigger and better again after a short spell out of the ring.
In the meantime he was planning on getting Tanada his second title belt.
“He’s already won one title, an OPBF (Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation) which he won in Japan in 2009 but lost on the next challenge for it,” he said.
“This is his chance to come back, very good boxers fight for these belts.
“It would mean a lot (to get another title) because it means we’re growing as a club. The WBC title is one that means a lot to Allan especially because Pacquiao, the best pound for pound boxer I reckon, held this belt.
“It’s got a lot of prestige.”
The trainer isn’t stopping there either, with even bolder plans still on the horizon for young Tanada.
“He’s 21 at the moment, and the plan is by the time he’s 23 we’ll be looking at a world title shot. But he has to start by winning this fight first. This will be the one that starts the ball rolling,” he said.
Also making an appearance for Gunnedah is sparring partner, Daniel Durham.
He will fight Simon Rendina in Newcastle on Friday in the light middleweight division.
Spike is pinning strong hopes on the rookie.
“He’s had two fights already,” he said.
“A first round knockout in the first fight and a six round points loss against an experienced boxer in the second.
“For the amount of fights he’s had, Daniel is a very experienced boxer.
“He’s very professional in how he fights and strong. He’s tough… and fit, so he’s going to give his opponent a lot of trouble this fight.”