Confidence is a big thing in boxing.
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One bit of self doubt, one moment of hesitation and it can all be over.
Bunt for Dubbo boxer Enja Prest, confidence is not an issue.
Prest maintained her perfect record at Bondi last weekend, defeating the experienced and bigger Rachel Loader to make it seven wins from seven bouts.
While determined to stay grounded and to not look to far ahead, Prest does her sights set on the Australian Amateur Boxing League National Novice Titles in July.
We’re getting a few bigger fights and getting to the point in my career where I’ve got to start stepping up.
- Enja Prest
“We’re getting a few bigger fights and getting to the point in my career where I’ve got to start stepping up and fight those girls who have fought more experienced fighters,” Prest, who trains under Robert ‘Gummy’ Toomey at Pound for Pound Boxing and Fitness said.
“She’d had double the fights I’ve had so it was tough but once again ‘Gummy’ has trained me to the right degree and I was able to win pretty comfortably.”
Prest won every round and against the former state champion who went into the bout with 11 wins from 14 fights.
The Dubbo pugilist, fighting at 60kg and using her height and reach to her advantage and showed the huge amount of improvement she had made since taking up the sport.
“I’m starting to pick up some of the techniques ‘Gummy’ has been explaining and it’s all starting to click for me,” she said.
“Each fight I’m feeling the improvement and the different techniques and obviously you’ve got to put those different combinations into the fights when fighting those more experienced fighters so I am feeling more comfortable and more confident.”
Prest, the current 63kg interstate champion, is hopeful of having one or two more bouts before July’s titles at Woy Woy while continuing to work under Toomey.
The rising star said it all starts with something as simple as dieting and eating and drinking the right thing while commitment is needed when bouts are staged at the likes of Sydney and Albury.
“You can see through the travel we do the ones who are committed are determined and the ones who are a bit half-hearted,” she said. “But it’s the kind of sport where if you want to go far you need that determination and you’ve got to put in and do it right.”
Prest is one of a number of exciting talents working out of Pound For Pound under Toomey and veteran trainer Graham Wallace currently, alongside the likes of hard-working teenager John Hill Jnr.