PAT Connolly has been in the corner of former Australian heavyweight champion Justin Whitehead for the bulk of his 56 amateur and eight professional bouts stretching back to 1996.
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There was no way the veteran Bendigo boxing trainer was going to miss the chance to be in his corner for one last time at Sunday’s ‘The Art of Pugilism and Aussie Rock’ showcase at the Bendigo Jockey Club.
“The best way for me to mark my respect for his career is to be in his corner,” Connolly said about an hour before Whitehead stepped through the ropes to face Josephar Maletino in a three-round exhibition bout.
While Whitehead has officially called on time on a career highlighted by a 36-20 record in the amateurs, a Commonwealth games bronze medal in 1998, and his Australian heavyweight championship victory over Colin Wilson in 2010, Connolly said he was glad to see the 47-year-old continuing his association with the California Gully-based Vinton Street Gym in a mentoring role.
Some of the boxers he will be working with include his opponent from Sunday in Maletino and a pair of emerging heavyweight prospects Jamie McLean and Caleb Avery, who also squared off.
Connolly, who has been training boxers in Bendigo since 1970, said he was glad to be able to give Whitehead a fitting send-off in front of his hometown crowd.
“It’s bittersweet in some ways, but it has been 20 years … that’s a long time, especially in boxing,” he said.
“And a lot of that has been at a very good level.
“There’s been a lot of good times along the way and a lot of ‘iffy’ times – that’s part of the game. There were times ‘that’s it’ and then there were times ‘no, let’s go harder’.
“I’ve seen him climb off from the floor and stop the other guy – that’s courage personified in my opinion. And to me, it takes a lot of courage just to get in the ring.”
Connolly insisted Whitehead had earned the tag of being one of the best boxers to come out of Bendigo, up there with the likes of Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Des Duguid, Billy Fry and Lynden Hosking, who represented Australia as a welterweight at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
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Whitehead, who had his last professional fight in October 2016 and ended his career 6-2, was grateful for the opportunity to give back to training brothers Pat and Gary Connolly for their support throughout the past two decades, but declared Sunday’s exhibition as ‘definitely it’ in terms of his in-ring performances.
“The body and training in the lead-up to today (Sunday) have certainly told me this will be the last one,” he said.
“It has not been as comfortable as it usually has – usually when I come back the body is good, this time for the first time it’s been injury after injury.
“It’s been fun nevertheless, but it’s definitely time to hang the gloves up for good.”
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Whitehead, whose three professional career title wins included the WBF international and WBF Asia-Pacific heavyweight championships, said the past few weeks of training had not been a time for reflection on his boxing career.
“It’s been all about moving forward – I looked at my resume the other day, strangely enough, and boxing was just a part of that,” he said.
“It’s been a good career to have and a great journey, but hopefully now there’s a separate stage to it.”
He added he now looked forward to the next phase of his career as a mentor to the next generation of boxers, including rugby union convert Maletino.
“He’s had two or three amateur bouts and come back into boxing after a break, so we will see how things work out,” Whitehead said.
“He’s certainly keen and eager to learn.
“I see a bright future for boxing in Bendigo – we have always seemed to have the boys who have been able to step up, from this gym and other gyms.”
I’ve seen him (Justin) climb off from the floor and stop the other guy – that’s courage personified in my opinion. And to me, it takes a lot of courage just to get in the ring.
- Pat Connolly
Maletino, who put in an accomplished performance against the former heavyweight champion, said he was thrilled at the chance to continue working with Whitehead.
“Justin loves the sport and is willing to help especially young talent,” he said.
“Someone like me can learn a lot. It’s not every day you can go to the gym and have a former Australian champion working on the bags.
“It’s a good experience getting into the ring with him in front of a big crowd.”
Meanwhile, Connolly said he was pleased with the success of Sunday’s show, which featured 12 exhibition bouts and a musical performance from Bendigo rock band Unnroolee with singer Marie Antoinette Hicks.
In-ring performers included a mix of professionals and amateurs, including some stepping into the ring for the first and potentially last time.
“It’s given some of the guys who have never been in the boxing ring a feel for it, so they can make some decisions,” Connolly said.
“Obviously for some the decision is they will never get in the ring again, but some of them will decide to go on and fight as amateurs and professionals.
Connolly wanted to publicly thank boxing identities Jared Kum Too, Dennis O’Dwyer and Luke Waddington for volunteering their time to referee and judge Sunday’s bouts.
He was lavish in his praise of the venue and believed it would not be the last time Vinton Street Gym Promotions would endeavour to use the racecourse to stage a show.
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