IT’S said that once you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The same goes for Bendigo’s Justin Whitehead in the boxing ring.
Five years after announcing his retirement, Whitehead made a winning return to the ring last Friday when he knocked out Clarence Tillman in the third round in their battle at St Albans.
Whitehead, 44, spent nine months under the guidance of trainers Pat and Gary Connolly building up for the bout in what he hopes will be a first step in his journey back to winning more title belts.
Before his retirement in 2010, Whitehead had five professional bouts during which he won the WBF Asia Pacific heavyweight title against Kim Heta, beat Solomon Haumono for the the vacant WBF International heavyweight title, and defeated Colin Wilson for the Australian heavyweight title.
After beating Wilson in August, 2010, Whitehead hung up the gloves and relinquished his three titles, turning his focus to running Golden Square Chicken and Seafood, before the urge to get back in the ring again and compete took over.
“I wasn’t putting enough time and effort into the business, so I had to turn my focus onto that,” Whitehead said this week.
“I’d always hoped that maybe I’d get back into the boxing at some stage down the track, but it took five years.
“I spent nine months with Pat and Gary training three or four times a week to get ready, but there was a fair bit of the unknown about getting back in the ring.
“The mental preparation is just as important as the physical preparation, and not having gone through it for five years, getting my head around the work that needed to be done to get ready was probably the biggest challenge.”
With his return bout successful, Whitehead will next step into the ring on Saturday, November 21, at the Bendigo Stadium against an opponent yet to be confirmed at an event being promoted by Lynden Hosking.
“From here I just want to make a good account of myself each time I step in the ring and it’s a bit of an old cliche, but just take it one fight at a time,” Whitehead said.
“Of course, I’d love to win the Australian heavyweight title again… you’ve got to have a goal to aim for.”
As well as Whitehead’s 6-0 record since turning professional, he also fought 56 times as an amateur for a 36-20 record.
He is a three-time national amateur heavyweight champion, and also won a bronze medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.