Youth against experience in battle to be top dog in city

ONE is one of Ingham’s rising stars, the other is a seasoned Townsville fighter.

In less than two weeks’ time, Zorran Cassady and Chris Khan will trade blows at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre in what both camps concede is a grudge fight.

Khan, 26, and Cassady, 22, established their fighting reputations in the region’s amateur ranks, with Cassady making his mark under the guidance of Ingham trainer Dean Poppi while Khan fought more than 60 amateur bouts as part of Art of Strength Boxing.

In the past 12 months they both went toe to toe with Sydney- based boxing prodigy Tim Tszyu, the son of former world champion Kostya Tszyu, and both suffered hard- fought defeats.

But despite having a shared history there will be no love lost between the pair when they rumble on November 4.

Cassady said he wanted to prove a point against Khan.

“He recently fought my most recent opponent Tim Tszyu and had a little bit to say about Tim Tszyu’s pre- vious opponent in the news,” Cassady said.

“To me it was nothing good, which I thought was odd. It didn’t bring me down, but it did get me a little heated and I wanted this fight mainly over that.”

Khan’s trainer Greg “Scooter” Hooper said the tension mainly boiled down to wanting to be North Queensland’s top boxer.

“There’s definitely a little bit of animosity there,” Hooper said. “It’s not hatred, not at all – but there is a fair bit of tension from the amateur days.

“It’s about wanting to be the best boxer in Townsville.”

The professional fighters will have their bout on the undercard of Mark Flanagan’s “Homecoming” fight against South America’s Pablo Matias Magrini.

All tension aside, Cassady said he counted Khan as one of his amateur boxing idols.

“When I was an amateur he was a teenager, and he was a strong boxer and someone to look up to,” he said.

“He definitely had skill and potential, and whenever he was on a card all the young boxers and coaches would tune in to his fights.”

Hooper said the upcoming boxing event was a huge boost for the region’s up- andcoming fighters.

“It’s in Townsville, that’s the biggest thing,” he said.

“Our fighters often go away to venues where it’s very difficult to get a decision, but this gives them an opportunity to fight here in front of their supporters.

“We need more opportunities like this.”

Tickets for the “Homecoming” event can be purchased at tecc. net. au