Teen cancer survivor after martial arts title
AN Innisfail teen is hoping to put the little Far North town on the world martial arts map, but he needs the public’s support to do it.
Fighter Quinton Smith trains five days a week in mixed martial arts, boxing, jujitsu, muay thai and kickboxing at Innisfail PCYC.
His dream is to win a world title and he has his heart set on competing as a kickboxer at the World Martial Arts Organisation World Titles in Ireland in October.
The 14-year-old childhood leukaemia survivor was selected for the competition and has started a crowd-funding campaign to help realise his dream.
Quinton has a number of national and local titles under his belt and will contest the Golden Gloves boxing competition in Brisbane later this month.
He uses the name Da Hitman in competitions.
“I want to compete in Ire- land because they’re the best in the world,” Quinton said.
“I developed a passion for mixed martial arts.
“I’ve been doing this for four years and I like the combat.
“It is a great opportunity at my age to represent my club and my country at the world titles overseas.”
Steve Brady became Quinton’s carer when he was four and shares a special bond with the kid who calls him Dad.
“He’s just one of those tough little kids who loves doing what he does,” he said.
“He’s recognised all throughout Australia. His goal is to win a world title and it doesn’t matter if that’s amateur or a pro title.
“To see him go from that sick little kid who was back and forth to Cairns Hospital to this fighter makes me very proud.
“At the end of the day it’s him who is driven to do all this. It is not us, we might get him everywhere, and take him to training and fights, but he has done all this himself.”
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