Late changes - but Cooper sticks to big fight plan

Burpengary’s Brooke Cooper has a new opponent and is stepping up a weight but will not change her fight plans for the WBC Super Lightweight Australasian title.

Cooper’s original opponent, from Thailand, pulled out of the fight for the lightweight belt, at the MXstore in Burleigh Heads on Saturday night.

She has been replaced by New Zealand’s Karena Lina Te Ruki-Pasene, on the same Infliction Fight Series over eight two-minute rounds, but at the slightly higher weight.

The naval officer has been out of the ring for 10 months due to COVID and lockdowns, but has won three of her five fights and was the New Zealand super lightweight champion.

However, 22-year-old Cooper, a two-time Muay Thai world champion, said: “I have the same goal, I don’t ever plan my fight based on my opponent.

“I fight my own fight so when last-minute changes occur it does not affect me.”

The winner on Saturday will be ranked by the WMC (World Boxing Council) – a significant step towards future fights at home and overseas.

Tickets are available from inflictionfightseries.com.au.

Cooper has trained at Kaos Martial Arts in Morayfield for more than nine years in Muay Thai, Toshi Kai Free Style Karate, MMA and boxing.

But the former Narangba Valley State High School student only competed in Muay Thai – which uses fists, elbows, knees and shins - until last year.

She has a Muay Thai fight record of 27 wins from 39 fights and was not permitted to face amateur fighters when she switched to boxing.

Cooper won the WMO Pro Muay Thai world title in March 2019 and WKBF Full Thai Lightweight world crown six months later.

There was also the WKA Intercontinental Pro Lightweight title in October 2019 and representing Australia at the IFMA World Championships in 2015, 2016 and 2017, medalling each time.

Cooper has won four gold medals at the Muay Thai Australia National Championships, the WAKO Oceania K1 Championship, WAKO Australian K1 National Championship, WKBF Queensland lightweight and featherweight crowns and the WMC Queensland Junior Championship.