By Sonia Isaacs
MOOLOOLAH amateur boxer Jarod Keeble has claimed the Queensland open middleweight title, stepping up in class and age to defeat a far more experienced opponent at the Banana Bender Pub on Saturday, March 28.
The 18-year-old, who fights out of Mooloolah Valley Boxing Club, competed at the Sunshine Coast Boxing Club annual tournament, which featured 18 bouts and drew fighters from across the region.
Keeble took on Daniel Aikudedha, a 25-year-old Papua New Guinean-born opponent, in what his camp described as a major test of both his skill and composure.
Keeble’s coach and father, Robbie Keeble, said the bout marked a significant leap for the teenager, who has only just moved into the open ranks after progressing through the junior and intermediate divisions.
“It’s a step up from last year,” his coach said. “He’s gone from junior intermediate, now he’s up into the open… straight up into open competition.”
Despite the higher stakes and the physical maturity of his rival, Keeble rose to the challenge in his first fight of the year, showcasing the form and toughness that have marked him as one of the Coast’s most promising young fighters.
Coach Keeble said his son’s win brought more relief than celebration.
“It was a bit of relief, because he stepped up in age and experience,” he said. “He was fighting a 25-year-old, a fully grown man… It was always going to be a big ask, and he’s come through with the goods in the end.”
Another young fighter from Mooloolah Valley Boxing Club, Elijah Tonissoo also stepped into the ring on the night, gaining valuable experience in an exhibition bout and showcasing the club’s growing depth of talent.
Remarkably, Keeble juggles his boxing career with full-time work as an arborist, employed in the family business.
Training out of the tight-knit Mooloolah Valley Boxing Club, he has built a reputation for hard work and quiet determination rather than bravado.
Saturday night’s performance confirmed that reputation, as he navigated the pressure of being one of the headline and the expectations that come with a title fight at state level.
The victory also sets up the next major test in Keeble’s burgeoning career.
He is expected to defend his Queensland open middleweight title on May 2 at a tournament hosted by Mooloolah State School, where Mooloolah Valley Boxing Club will stage its own show.
The May 2 event is shaping up as a major fixture on the regional boxing calendar, with fighters coming from across Queensland and New South Wales to compete in the school’s large community hall.
For Coach Keeble, the weekend’s win was as much about family pride as sporting achievement.
“Yeah, I was proud of him,” he said. “We do have words at times, but he’s done really well.”
With a state title already around his waist at just 18, and another big test looming on home turf, Mooloolah’s newest champion looks set to carry the hopes of his club – and his community – into the next round.
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