Over the Christmas period, the Journal’s sports team will be re-sharing some of the most popular stories from over the course of 2024.
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Pakenham’s boxing rising star Riek Chuol could next year swap the green and white shorts of Doveton Boxing Club’s for the green and gold of Australia following his latest success in Canberra late last month.
The power-hitting and prodigious talent is the best amateur boxer in the country for his 57 kilogram weight class after claiming the Australian Elite Men’s title at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) on 23 November, defeating a vastly experienced fighter on points in the championship fight.
After a unanimous decision in the first fight of the weekend, Chuol’s second fight was stopped by the referee late in the first round after a dominant display, booking his place in the final against New Zealand-born Harrison Knew.
Despite having fought in nearly half the bouts of his experienced opponent, and fighting with a broken left hand, Chuol showed tremendous grit and determination to have his hand raised by the referee at the conclusion of the bout.
“I thought I was going to cry, I was so full of joy,” Chuol said of the moment he was announced victorious after the final.
“All the hard work I’ve been putting in, coming to train every single day, it’s meant a lot, and took the weight off my shoulder, knowing that I’m number one.”
Chuol fought through “unbearable” pain in his left hand across the weekend after striking the elbow of a sparring partner in the lead up to the championships.
Chuol throws jabs with his left hand as a result was limited with what he could execute in the ring, forcing him to change his natural style and stay lighter on his feet.
When fighting junior boxers earlier in his career, his power game allowed him to dominate opponents with withering strikes, but the step up in standard and age group, combined with the injury, forced him to reconsider his approach.
“In the finals I was able to adjust and tap and move,” he said.
“I knew the adrenaline would play a part.
“Tapping and moving and adrenaline made me go through the whole tournament.”
The result opens the door for selection to represent Australia at the World Championships in Liverpool, England next year, and adds another layer to his remarkable rapid ascension in the country’s boxing ranks, having made the jump from fighting in the youth age groups to fighting open age, and earning instant success.
Canberra’s success means he finishes the calendar year undefeated, winning all nine of his fights including the 57-kilogram Elite Open title at the Australian Club Championships in May, and the Victorian Open State Championship in September.
The World Championships are already at the top of his goals list for 2025, eager to show the world – beyond just the Australian boxing scene – what he’s capable of.
“My main goal is winning the championship, that’s really what it is,” Chuol said.
“Not many Australians go up there and win gold and that’s really my opportunity, if I get the chance to make it.
“I don’t want to be (one of) the people that say ‘I represented’, I want to be (one of) the people that say ‘I medalled’.
“That’s the goal right there for 2025.”
Ryan Wilson, Chuol’s coach at Doveton Boxing Club, watched him fight in Canberra in his capacity as an assistant coach with the Victorian squad.
So feared and strong is the 19-year-old’s reputation that Wilson has difficulty in finding competitors willing to step into the ring with him, while the experience at the AIS saw him fight in front of a knowledgeable boxing crowd of coaches, competitors and judges, impressed by his appetite to fight and unpredictability.
He walked away from the Australian Championships immensely proud of his emerging star, further convinced of Chuol’s ability and bright future, given his lack of experience in the ring thus far, having only taken the sport up two-and-a-half years ago.
“He won quite convincingly in the final fight against a man who’s had 50 fights and has been boxing for years,” Wilson said.
“It was tough because Riek was giving (Knew) everything and he just kept coming,
“It was harder – Riek would usually dominate with the younger ones, but he still managed to get it done.
“Riek was able to just outscore him and give him a good standing eight-count in the last round.
“He’s very green still, he’s got so much to learn but he’s got a ton of natural athleticism, and he’s got the hunger, he wants to win these tournaments.
“We haven’t seen nothing from this kid.
“The bigger the prize in front of him, the more this kid matures.”
