Training camp will prepare Dana for biggest bout in his 11-year career
By Kirra Livingstone
DANA Coolwell is gearing up for his biggest bout yet in July, which coach Steve Pitt said would be life changing.
In the lead up to the bout, which will be over in the USA, he will take part in a four week training camp at Matchroom Gym in Santa Monica, Los Angeles.
However, due to the high costs in travelling and staying in the USA for a month, Dana and his team will need financial support to make it over.
Hinterland Boxing Club owner and Dana’s coach, Steve Pitt, said there is a range of costs that Dana will have to pay out of his own pocket, if it weren’t for community funding support.
“Costs include gym fees, sparring partners, and strength and conditioning coaches, food, nutrition and supplements to support weight management, accommodation, car hire and physios,” Steve said.
Despite this, Steve said they are also in talks with sponsors to support costs related to the training camp.
“We have always been supported by the community and they have helped get us to where we are today,” he said.
“From all the local raffles to high teas, everyone has always supported Dana by getting behind him and his dreams.
“We are in talks with both some local sponsors, and international sponsors interested in helping out with trunk exposure, hat exposure.”
The training camp will be an all intensive sparring camp, with some conditioning days in between, to fully prepare Dana for his once in a lifetime opportunity bout in late July.
Dana’s bout will be on a high profile undercard, which can’t be publicly announced yet, but coach Pitt said it will be Dana’s biggest fight of his career.
“We are going to win but even if we don’t win the show that he will put on, he’ll get a contract through someone, the way he fights, his charisma – they’ll put him on,” Steve said.
“If we win this, it will change his life.
“It’s already changing now so it’s good, we are nearly there, it’s been 11 years since we started doing this, it’s been a long time to reap some rewards.”
Steve said Dana’s bout in the USA is going to accelerate his career, but the team is remaining focused on supporting Dana to ensure he wins this international bout.
“There is an amount of excitement and we are really confident, we just want to cement our place in the industry and where he should be,” he said.
“We believe Dana should be at the top, and we’ve gone through a lot more than what most boxers have and I think it’s going to show come fight night that he deserves to be on that stage.”
He will also be the only Australian boxer fighting on the fight card, which will be an internationally streamed event.
To donate to Dana’s training camp costs, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-dana-compete-in-the-usa .
kirra@gcnews.com.au