Lilydale boxers do club proud

By Monique Ebrington
LILYDALE Fight ‘n’ Fitness is celebrating the club’s continued success at this year’s Australian Amateur Boxing Titles in Townsville recently.
The club’s fighters Ed Abel, Arjen Jonker and Shane McDonald represented Victoria at the titles and returned with a gold and silver medal and two bronze.
Despite only taking up boxing this year 15-year-old Jonker won the Australian Under-16 cruiserweight title.
Jonker also fought in the Under-18 division but gained a silver medal going down to a 17-year-old fighter from Queensland.
Current world kickboxing champion and Fight ‘n’ Fitness trainer Nick “Lightning” Lundh says he was impressed by Jonker’s result at the titles.
“I possibly could be biased, but I believe he won every round convincingly,” Lundh said.
“To be Australian champion in his age bracket, being only 15-years-old, and fighting a 17-year-old exceptionally well was a magic effort.”
Both Abel and McDonald put up great fights against their competitors but didn’t come home with titles, Lundh says they should have been awarded.
“I do believe some of the decisions were wrong and it should have been closer to three gold medals and a bronze,” he said.
Abel gained the bronze medal in the senior welterweight division and McDonald won the bronze medal in the super heavyweight division.