Local boxers eager to impress on home turf

UP-and-coming boxers in Bendigo and a few more seasoned ones will have the chance to shine in front of a fanatical home crowd at the Showdown at the Allies in early March.

Having put his own career between the ropes in the rear vision mirror, Bendigo’s Damien Lock has turned his hand to promoting events.

Lock’s DL Boxing Gym’s collaboration with the Allies Hotel at Myers Flat is his first venture into promoting.

Well-known in central Victorian football and other sporting circles, the 47-year-old – who played 18 senior games with Carlton in 1998-99 after being drafted from Eaglehawk in 1996 – is aiming for upwards of 12 bouts on the program, many involving aspirants training at his Hattam Street gym in Golden Square.

“I’m really trying to give the guys in town a platform to compete, so most of the bouts will have a local Bendigo flavour,” he said.

“Ideally we’ll have about 15 fights out in the beer garden at the Allies.

 

“It’s a nice little set-up. I’m pretty sure it’s the first time the Allies has hosted something like this.

“It’s something different. We’ve sold a few tickets already, so the early interest has been encouraging.

“I reckon we’ll get a nice crowd.”

The main event will feature a pair of tough and respected old-school fighters Shane Piper, from Bendigo, and Kane Brunn, from Melbourne.

“I reckon the main event will be a cracker – two really tough fighters,” Lock said.

“Shane’s a very tough bloke … real old school … he’ll fight anyone. And Kane’s pretty intimidating.

“But they’re both very good boxers.”

Brunn is undefeated in four amateur bouts, two via knock-out, with his latest win coming against Bendigo’s Matt Sobey last September.

Sure to spark plenty of curiosity will be the showdown between local footballers Jayden Cordy, appointed as coach of Loddon Valley club Newbridge for 2026, and livewire Huntly forward Jacob Greenwood.

Both are currently training at Lock’s gym and are shaping up for their first bouts.

“I’m sure those two boys will drag a few of their mates through the gates. It should be an interesting match-up,” Lock said.

One “ex-fighter” – as Lock branded himself – who won’t be jumping into the ring on 7 March is he himself.

Following 12 professional bouts and a handful of corporate bouts, the last of which ended in a draw last April against former St Kilda star Steven Baker, Lock confirmed his own in-ring journey had come to an end.

“I’ve definitely put a line through it – I’ve had enough,” he said.

“You can quote me on that.

“To be honest, I have too much on my plate trying to organise all the fights, manage the event and run the gym.

“I’ve had my time.”

Tickets for Showdown at the Allies on 7 March are available for $60 from the DL Boxing Gym in Golden Square or the Allies Hotel.

The in-ring action starts at 1pm.

Lock praised the support of the Victorian Amateur Boxing League, Boxsafe Training and Officiating, Kepal Building Services, Elliott Bros, RH Concreting, CTB Roofing, National Heating and Cooling, Wiltshire Carpentry, Blake Pierce Photography, Grays Bendigo, Daleys Bricklaying and Construction and, of course, the Allies Hotel.