By MATT NICHOLLS
STAR boxer Blake Travers will test his skills against the best in the world when he travels to the Ukraine next month for the Junior World Boxing Championships.
After success in the United States last year, the 15-year-old will enter the ring to fight the best boxers of his age group and weight division in Kiev.
“I am looking forward to it. It’s going to be a unique experience,” Travers said.
Trained by his father John, Travers comes from a big boxing family and is a natural talent.
“He’s left-handed and he throws them off a bit with his style,” his dad said.
Travelling with the Australian Institute of Sport team, there’ll be no family support for Travers in the Ukraine.
In what is a knockout competition, Travers is hoping to make an impression on officials in a bid to win selection for the next Olympics.
“He just makes the cut-off for Rio (de Janerio),” said his brother Luke, also a talented boxer.
Brazil is clearly the aim for Travers, who aspires to become a professional boxer in his adult years.
If he doens’t go to Rio, it’s likely he won’t get another crack at an Olympics berth as boxing is strictly restricted to amateurs by the International Olympic Committee.
But for now, Travers is just focused on the Ukraine.
“I’m pretty well prepared so I’m going there confident of doing well,” he said.
The Travers family thanked the Wauchope RSL and Wauchope Lions Club, as well as the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council for supporting Blake’s boxing adventure.
