CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
Olympic bronze medallist Harry Garside will face the most gruelling test of his career tonight, as he enters the ring with Manuer Matet in the battle for the vacant Australian lightweight title.
Blacktown’s finest, Matet will not be a walkover for the rising star – boasting a 4-1 record and weighing in at 58.26kg.
The 24-year-old Garside, in his second ever professional fight, maintained high-spirits throughout a weigh-in that saw him come in at almost three kilograms heavier than his rival at 61.02kg
Matet did not mince his words in the press conference either, firing shots at the Melbourne boy from across the room.
“He said I’m a trash talker, but I’m going to back it up. I’m going to kill him, I’m going to knock him out.” said Matet.
“He’s got a weak chin, he’s got a weak body. He doesn’t have a strong mentality, so how’s he going to win?
“I’ve got everything, my background, my mentality and I can mix it up. I don’t think he can win it.”
The hype surrounding a possible mismatch has led boxing legend Jeff Fenech to label Garside’s decision to take the fight as ”very, very brave“ – However, Garside appears to be relishing in the challenge.
“I feel like it’s disrespectful to my family if I was fighting someone I was supposed to beat easily.” he said.
“This is a good hard fight, this is a good fight for Australian boxing. I’m doing it for my family, I’m doing it for my friends. That’s what’s Manuer is doing it for as well, he’s doing it for his community. That’s what boxing’s all about.”
However, boxing promoter George Rose says that Garside definitely has it in him to walk out the victor, citing his recent appearance at the 2022 Sydney Mardi Gras.
“He’s faced challenges like this before” says Gorgeous George.
“We are talking about a bloke that threw himself into the middle of Sydney Mardi Gras with nothing but a few back up dancers to shield him from the adoring fans”
“The kids obviously a queer icon. And he’s not a bad looker. If he can get in and out of the Sydney Cricket Ground on gay Christmas in one piece… Then I reckon he’ll last the distance tonight”
“Remember, there’s only gonna be one bloke in that ring trying to eat him alive tonight.”
“At Mardi Gras there was 60,000 of them”
Harry Garside will take on Manuer Matet for the Australian lightweight title live on Fox Sports and Kayo tonight at 7pm.
