(Photo: Jim Hawkins)
December 20, 2021
Cherbourg’s Boxing Group is growing so much – and the Cherbourg Sporting Complex has been so busy lately – that the young boxers needed a new shed to house their training.
“Although we had approval and money to pay for the shed, we needed someone to build it,” Cherbourg Sports Complex co-ordinator Lavina Dynevor said.
“We are very thankful to Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council for pushing for the new boxing shed to be up, and now we just have to furnish it with boxing gym equipment run it.”
Boxing historian Bob Webster, who was part of the push to get the late Jeffrey “Mitta” Dynevor inducted into the Queensland Boxing Hall Of Fame, heard the young boxers’ pleas for help.
Bob called on his extensive boxing connections to organise for some gear to be sent to Cherbourg on Friday.
“Thankfully, he helped us with his connections from Madison Sport, in conjunction with the Fortitude Boxing Club of Bowen Hills, and Gym Gear Australia, in conjunction with Force Martial Arts of Oxenford,” Lavina said.
“They kindly donated two boxing bags each and some other gym equipment that was much-needed for the Cherbourg Boxing Group.
“Cherbourg Sports Complex would like to say a very appreciative big thank you to all.”
The Cherbourg Boxing Group received 2 x 3ft heavy bags, 2 x 4ft heavy bags and 2 x 4.6ft very heavy bags for the boxers to use in training.
“I was feel quite honoured that I was the first one that Lavina turned to for help, because I know so many contacts in the boxing network,” Bob said.
“The brotherhood of boxers kicked in!”
Bob said he hoped a “sister relationship” could be built between the Cherbourg Boxing Group and the Fortitude Boxing Club which could include clinics in Brisbane and mentorship.
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Bob told southburnett.com.au another Cherbourg boxer has been added recently to the Queensland Boxing Hall of Fame.
The ceremony was held at the Showmen’s Club in Yatala on November 21.
The late Adrian Blair represented Australia in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
He was the national featherweight champion in 1961 and then lightweight titleholder in 1962 and 1964.
Blair fought at the 1962 Commonwealth Games and was then selected for the Australian Olympic team to Tokyo in 1964.
The Tokyo Games was the first time any known Indigenous Australians competed in the Olympics.
Blair, who competed in the lightweight division, was joined by fellow Indigenous athletes, welterweight boxer Francis (Frank) Roberts from NSW and basketballer Michael Ah Matt from Adelaide.
Other South Burnett boxers already honoured in the Queensland Boxing Hall of Fame include Noel “Stumpy” Butwell (inducted 2008), Arthur Cripps (2011) and Arthur “Bullet” Bradley (2015).
The late Jeffrey “Mitta” Dynevor – who is memorialised in the mural at the Cherbourg Sporting Complex – was added to the Hall of Fame in 2019.
