Fight night
Matthew Burt meets Trevor Dauphinee in Friday Night Fights main event
Matthew Burt is hoping his return to the squared circle on Friday will be a triumphant one.
The 23-year-old from Sydney got into the fight game at 17, and after posting a 2-2 record, he moved to Whitehorse, Yukon, for two years to work as a corrections officer. He headed back east to work at the jail in Pictou and is now back home.
“I’ve always loved the fighting and training aspect of it,” said the 6-4, 260-pound pugilist. “I just loved watching boxing on TV. I used to play basketball (at Riverview) to stay in shape and I ended up liking boxing more.
“As soon as I got back home, I came around the club and started training again.”
After a year of training back home again, Burt is ready to get back into the squared circle. And he’s jumping in headfirst.
Burt will take on Trevor Dauphinee of Ring 73 in a super-heavyweight main event in the Friday Night Fights card hosted by the Sydney Boxing Club at Centre 200 on Friday. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the fights get underway at 8 p.m.
Burt said he’s more excited than nervous to be competing again.
“I’ve been coming here sparring with (Ryan) Rozicki, and (head coach Brad Ross) said he was having a fight card and thought I was looking sharp,” he said. “So I jumped back into it and have a fight.
“Just before, you don’t hear anybody or hear anything. You just get in there and it’s just you and the other guy. It’s just what’s in your head. You just have to stay calm and don’t let the adrenaline take over.”
Burt admits that as superheavyweight, there will be more stinging like a bee than floating like a butterfly against Dauphinee.
“I heard that he won his last fight by knockout, so I hope to go in and have a war,” he said with a laugh.
Tickets for Friday’s card are only available at Elements Hair Studio on Welton Street in Sydney, or by phoning the Sydney Boxing Club at 902-567-7677. Tickets will also be available at the door. Cost is $15 for general admission and $200 for table of 10.