DETERMINATION TO CHANGE WAYS REAPS TITLE Iron will pays off for Moss
A WAKE-UP call two years ago made Steve Moss realise he was unhappy and needed a change.
Now he stands as Australia’s WBF light heavyweight masters champion.
While boxing had always been an area of interest for the 52-year-old, stepping into the ring simply never eventuated. That changed when he joined Sword and Shield Boxing in Currajong, and he set about his transformation from stressed businessman to national victor.
“I was about 112kg and I woke up one morning and said I need to change this,” Moss said.
“I was overweight, drinking too much, I had a business at the time and was working long hours – I just didn’t feel happy about myself.
“I just wanted to win that title so Scott Lindgren, my coach, committed to basically a 16-week fight camp.
“Going to Sword and Shield really turned me into a boxer. When I first started I thought I was fit, but when I got into the ring I was absolutely fit.”
Moss fought through five two-minute rounds to win by unanimous decision on the Sunshine Coast, and he is intent on adding to his accolade tally in the near future.
He was joined in the masters victories by fellow Townsville fighter Joel Herlihy, who returned from a lengthy lay-off to claim the welterweight title.
Despite boxing being an individual sport, Moss talks about his fight and preparation with a “we” mentality.
He does not say “I went into the fight with a plan, I was aggressive, I kept up the pace” – those Is are replaced with all-in language.
Because for Moss, he would not be in this position if it was not for the team around
him, whether that be his trainers and fellow fighters at the gym or his proud family.
“It’s me doing it in the middle, but I could not have done this without my family support – my wife, and son Jack. It’s a team environment and team support base that goes into this contest,” Moss said.
“They were over the moon, my son was so proud of me
and that made it all the worthwhile in itself. They were already proud of me, we’ve had a lot of personal life successes, but it’s always good to have them proud of you and it’s something my son will always remember that he can tell his kids.”
Moss will take a break over Christmas, before eyeing off more bouts in the new year.