Title dream burns brightly
Passionate Spark keen to emulate boxing elite
BOXING: Any rise to the top is bound to be littered with twists and turns.
Toowoomba boxer Steve Spark’s ladder climb is no different.
A decorated amateur career, wearing the green and gold of Australia and a successful entry into the professional ranks have headlined Spark’s nineyear boxing journey.
But intertwined among those highs have been darker times including the death of a close friend and role model and a sobering court appearance.
On Saturday night each of those life experiences will be riding with Spark when he meets Gearoid Clancy at Rumours International for the Australian super lightweight title.
If the soon-to-be 22-yearold is successful, his name will go on the belt alongside fellow Toowoomba boxers Mick Shaw, Michael Katsidis and Jack Asis.
James Mackay could hardly have suspected 10 years ago he had a potential Australian champion on his hands when a 12-year-old Spark joined about a dozen other kids in his boxing training group at Crows Nest Recreational Centre.
What he did find out is he had a young bloke who was no quitter.
“I think we had about 12 or 15 kids out there when I started and I was pretty well the only one left after a year or so,” Spark recalled this week.
“James said if I wanted to take it further there was a bloke named Neil Palmblad from the PCYC who could help me.
“After one training session with Neil they said they were all going away the next day, did I want go along for a fight.
“I said yeah, all right so I went down with them and I was probably the most nervous I’ve been in my whole life.
“I wanted to run away and cry and not do it.
“But I won by a first-round stoppage and that’s pretty much where my journey took off and boxing started to take over (my life).”
Spark remained with Palmblad for two years before Brandon Wood suggested in 2011 he pay Smithy’s Gym a visit.
There Spark soon struck up a close relationship with trainer/promoter Brendon Smith and seven years later that partnership continues to thrive.
“I’ve always said a fightertrainer relationship is a big thing in this sport — trusting each other and communicating really well — and I think that’s what me and Brendon have,” Spark said.
“We hit it off right from the start and that year from then I think we won something like 18 straight fights.
“I won the Australian title in my weight division and I beat the Australian champion in the weight division above. I also beat the Australian champion who stepped up from his weight division to fight me.
“We had a blinder of a year. I then went to England where I competed for the Australian side with two wins out of three.
“I just kept chipping away and beat some really good names in the amateur sport then we decided I’d go pro in 2014 which was only four weeks after my 18th birthday.
“I fought Kyle Teer in my first pro bout and won by firstround stoppage and thing kept growing from there.
“As an amateur I got to look up to Jack Asis, Brayd (Smith), Will Young, Darren Askew.
“It was so beneficial at that age to see where they got to and what it took to be at the level they were at.
“I was very lucky to have that around me and the support of all the others too. Those boys never thought they were better than anyone else.
“They always built everyone up. That’s a big thing about this gym.”
In 2015 the boxing world was rocked by the death of champion Toowoomba boxer Brayd Smith after a Rumours bout.
Spark still speaks emotionally today about the impact and influence the Smith-family tragedy had on his young life.
“Me and Brayd were very, very close as was everyone with Brayd,” Spark said.
“He was like a big brother to me. I was always watching Brayd through my whole career, even as a pro.
“I always tried to develop what he did, into what I did. Brendon even says he notices I do a lot of things like Brayd.
“I box like him and I try to be like him as a person. He had a very good view on life. He upheld tremendous values.
“When Brayd passed it hit everyone very, very hard.
“We’re carrying on a great legacy and I just know Brayd’s been looking over all of us and I want to make him proud on Saturday night as well.”
Spark hit another low last year when he pleaded guilty to assault following a late-night altercation with a fellow boxer which saw him slapped with 12 months probation and no conviction recorded.
“Anthony Mundine said alcohol never brings anything good and it’s a big problem in our society,” Spark said.
“It definitely didn’t for me that night. It made me think irrationally. My values I like to uphold, I didn’t go with them that night. I went against them and I did the wrong thing. I admit that and apologised.
“I was punished accordingly by the court and moved on.
“I took something very positive from it and not let it happen again.”
“I can’t thank Brendon enough for sticking by me.
“He’s stood with me side-byside and said we’re going to work even harder now and put that behind me and we have.
“A lot of people have helped me along the way especially my family, my friends.
“They’ve all supported me, whether it’s been the littlest thing. I can’t thank everyone enough for what they’ve done.”
‘‘ HE WAS LIKE A BIG BROTHER TO ME STEVE SPARK
Photo: Nev Madsen