BOXING
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
HISTORY will be made at the Dubbo RSL Club on Saturday night when local fighter Robert 'Gummy' Toomey defends his Australian lightweight title.
The bout will be the first national title fight held in the city and a large home-town crowd is expected to be right behind Toomey when he steps into the ring against unbeaten Brisbane fighter Ty Gilchrist.
Before the main bout of the night there wills be eight amateur bouts and another professional fight featuring Wellington's Joel Galea.
There will be plenty of interest in the amateur bouts, which will see Dubbo's only female fighter Cheree Berry line up for her second fight.
"Cheree is taking on a girl from Cobar that probably has five kilograms advantage on her but she's keen for the fight and she has trained hard," promoter John Hallford said.
"She had about a six-week preparation for her first fight, which she won, and she's had about the same this time around."
While the other fights will add to the entertainment there's no doubt the big bout of the night will be the Toomey-Gilchrist fight in the 61.2kg division.
Since winning the title Toomey has undergone surgery on his shoulder but Hallford said there are no worries about his fighter's fitness heading into his title defence.
"I did a bit of work with 'Gummy' on Thursday and he nearly cut me in half he was hitting so strong," Hallford said.
"He's lost no power after the operation and the good thing is since he dropped weight and went into this division he hasn't weakened off.
"If he had been fighting at 61kg from the start he would probably be unbeaten but when he was younger he was a bit pigheaded.
"He's always had it in the mind but he never wanted to train as hard as he should have but now he's a bit older and more committed, he's worked bloody hard to get down to the 61kg and he's won an Australian title with one arm basically."
Tickets for Saturday night's show are still available from the Dubbo RSL Club and can be pre-purchased from the front counter or bought on the night.
The cost is $40 for adults and $25 for children with everyone invited back to the Garden Hotel after the event.