Regional boxing titles at Queens Park Theatre on Saturday to feature WA locals, Commonwealth Games hopefuls

It’s all go for the second annual WA State Regional Boxing Championships, to be held at Queens Park Theatre on Saturday from 4pm.

A highlight will be an 80kg title bout between Australian champion Kirra Ruston and reigning Australian Youth Middleweight champion Callum “50Cal” Peters.

Ruston sensationally won last year’s title with a round-two stoppage over Doug McDonnell after a barrage of heavy blows ended what had been an even contest. McDonnell, brave as he was, couldn’t continue.

Ruston and Peters are vying for Commonwealth Games selection. Peters has been a road warrior with four fights over the past five weekends in Perth, his home town Adelaide and Tasmania.

Ruston will want to land a couple early to keep Peters from applying his trademark constant pressure, Peters’ father and coach, “Buddah” Peters, said.

“Kirra’s a bit bigger so he’ll have more power but bigger can also mean slower while Callum has speed and speed kills,” he said.

“He’s a beast when he gets going and has a sponsor, so he trains three times a day, and he likes hard fights even if it means taking on a bigger man. It will be a great fight. Both want to be picked for the Games, Kirra in the 82kg class and Callum in the 75kg, and both want very much to win.”

Two more Australian Champions are also on the card, Perth’s Charlie Senior, defending the 57kg Regional Title, who fights three-time Australian Champion Ben Innes, also from Perth.

Both are attacking boxers with Innes unbeaten in his past five bouts while Senior aims to come back from defeat three weeks ago when he went up a division. They too are aiming for the Games.

There will also be 12 locals on show including Faycal Mechiche against Dean Fairclough while Suzie O’Leary meets Tess Legarde.

Juniors Frauke Rawlings, Shareef Mohammad, Leighton Reid, Eric Kyanga and Jett Hewison fight for titles against boxers from Mandurah, Broome, Northam and Perth.

Joriyan James and Thomas McDonnell will make their debuts.

Tickets are $45 (concessions $35) on the QPT website and at the door.