By Kirra Livingstone
IT might not be for a world title, but Hinterland Boxing Club’s Dana Coolwell is training like his next fight is just that.
Four minute sparring rounds with 40 seconds break is just one of the techniques his coach, Steve Pitt, is deploying ahead of rounds ahead of his March 23 fight.
Pitt said the regime meant Dana was in top shape for his first fight of the year.
“He’s in the best physical and mental shape that he’s ever been in,” he said.
“We’ve been doing four minute rounds with 40 second breaks, we are training as if we are going to a world title because that’s the ultimate goal.
“We are training hard.
“We are doing 10 fours, 30 second breaks, non stop punching.
“He’s quite young so he’s just coming into his physical development.”
Steve add that despite being confident Dana will defeat his March 23 opponent, Fernando Tagpuno Jr, it will be a challenging fight.
“He can’t get clipped early, because this guy can punch,” he said.
“Dana will use his dangerous feet to avoid his heavy hands in the first four rounds.
“He’ll be really dangerous in the beginning but he’ll realise he can’t out-box Dana, and then probably round five or six is where he’ll start to decline,
“That’s when Dana will start building up … (and) his conditioning will take over.”
Pitt is hopeful a victory will put Dana on track for a world title bout by the end of the year.
“We have that career path where we know where we’re going now and what direction we are taking and we are in control of it, which is good,” he said.
“We are making decisions, whether they are right or wrong, it’s us that’s making them and it’s only us that can make the mistakes so it’s good.”