Tait carries red- hot form into seniors
UPPER Ross Hawks boxer Jalen Tait may just be North Queensland’s next rising fighting star.
Tait, 17, proved unstoppable at the recent Golden Gloves tournament in Townsville, beating local opponents Ryan Shibasaki and Wayne Raye during qualification, before overpowering Mark Snook in the final to win senior division gold.
The winning weekend came after Tait enjoyed a successful start to his senior career on the Gold Coast last month, scoring a unanimous points victory against New South Welshman Ty Payne in front of Townsville’s own WBA Oceania Cruiserweight champion Mark Flanagan. Tait’s promising foray into the senior divisions comes after an irrepressible junior career, which saw him become one of Queensland’s most highly rated young boxers.
But Tait’s rise in the boxing game has not been easy.
The Rasmussen junior suffered from bullying as a youngster and took to boxing to improve his self- confidence, linking with legendary Hawks trainer Dennis Clancy. “It’s helped me out a lot,” Tait said. “You see the other boxers from our gym go on to bigger things, like Mark ( Flanagan) and ( Hawks’ WBO Youth Super Lightweight champion) Liam Paro.
“I look up to them … Mark’s like a big brother because he’s done the hard yards like me. I’ve been sparring the older guys as well and that helps with going into seniors.”
Tait may follow in the footsteps of Australian boxers such as Kostya Tszyu and Jeff Fenech, but Clancy – who has trained a host of local boxers to national titles – said the importance of setting young people up for life was more valuable than winning titles.
“Giving them opportunities and having them around role models is what it’s all about,” he said.
“You see it too often when young people don’t know their place in society, but when they’re given a purpose and the right mentoring you’re putting them on the right path.”