Rose City boxer aims for Commonwealth Games
BOXING: A boxer who sparred 10 rounds with Jeff Horn is heading to Brisbane for the Queensland Golden Gloves titles at the weekend.
Originally from Goondiwindi, Joshua Hargrave moved to the Gold Coast where he lived when the spars were arranged with Horn before his record-breaking fight with legendary boxer Manny Pacquiao.
"I was going to return to Goondiwindi this year but settled on Warwick, which is a lot quieter than the Gold Coast,” he said.
"Warwick is a good place to bring up my three-year-old son Wyatt.”
Hargrave has won four of his six fights and will start a campaign in the middleweight division he hopes will take him to Commonwealth Games selection next year at the Gold Coast.
Two spars with Horn over five three-minute rounds gave Hargrave an understanding of the boxing ability of the school teacher from Brisbane.
To be in contention for Games selection, Hargrave will need to win a state title at the end of September and then go on to win a national title.
At age 37, Hargrave is being trained by Rose City head trainer Damien Lawler.
"Everyone in boxing has a chance to make it to the Commonwealth Games,” Lawler said.
"Anything is possible; Joshua knows the road to the games is a tough one but he has the right mindset.”
He is one of three Rose City boxers competing in the golden gloves at Mansfield in Brisbane.
Harry Coyne has had spars at Burleigh, Nerang and Toowoomba before his first fight this weekend. Jake Wyllie will aim to defend his state title in the golden gloves.
