TWO local boxers will be looking to collect title belts tonight as Pound for Pound Boxing hosts a City versus Country fight night at the Amaroo Hotel.
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Local trainer and fighter, and current Australian lightweight champion, Robert Toomey has put together the card which is shaping up a 14-bout night and he said it was a great opportunity for two fighters in particular, Ayla Barker and Nathan Riley.
"It's a local amateur night but we've got two locals going for titles so that's pretty big for them," he said.
"Ayla Barker is going for a NSW state title and she'll be fighting a girl from Sydney and Nathan Riley is going for a Western Region title against a boy from Wagga but there's going to be heaps of other local fighters too."
Barker's career has gone from strength to strength and after two dominant wins at Dubbo, a win at Cootamundra and a fight at Bondi, Toomey said he and the training staff felt she was ready for a crack at the title.
Barker will be keen to claim the title of the state's best female boxer when she enters the ring and Toomey said her's and Riley's bouts will be real highlights of the night.
"She's going well, Graham Wallace has been training her and it's going to be a good one," he said of Barker.
"It's two amateur titles so it's good for them, Ayla's is a state title while Nathan's is a couple of levels below that but it's great for them to get the chance."
With a bumper night ahead, Toomey said the night would not only test the local hopes but also help prepare them for more upcoming events, including a stellar night at Moree in July where former Olympian Cameron Hammond will be fighting for the Pacific Welterweight title in the main event.
"There's the Moree show on July 5 so we're just keeping them committed and focused before then and the more fights you have the better they'll become," he said.
While the Moree night will be a huge test for local hopes, Toomey said the focus is purely on tonight.
As well as Barker and Riley, the other local hopes include Briarne Luckie, Nic Barber, Stephen Wilson, Oscar Beasley, Lennie Bateup, Matt Hyde, James Fleming, Luke Rodgers and Aiden "Mad Dog" Ryan.
"There's going to be people coming from all over, it's a pretty big card and there's also going to be some younger kids getting a chance, some 45 kilogram fights," Toomey said.
The doors open at 6pm tonight with the first fight at 7pm.
