Silver lining to cup quest
Taj Harrington, from All Star Boxing Academy in Lawnton, has stamped his name on the international stage by medalling at one of the world's top amateur youth tournaments.
The 17-year-old Strathpine resident won a silver medal in Germany at the prestigious Brandenburg Cup (July 25-August 3) - which is close to world championship level.
At his first international multi-day tournament, on just his second overseas boxing trip, Harrington had four fights in four days.
The former Pine Rivers State High School student narrowly lost the 50kg final to last year’s world youth champion, the more experienced Lorenzo Patricio, from the US.
It was still an impressive display by Harrington who now has 28 wins and six defeats from 34 amateur fights, compared to Patricio's 62 wins and 10 defeats from 72 bouts.
However, Harrington's silver was one of Australia's three medals at the prestigious tournament, which had 174 entries from the world’s top boxing nations.
“I thought it was very close, he won two rounds, I won one,” said Harrington, who started at All Star Boxing Academy when he was seven.
“Everyone around me said I did pretty well, but I’m still not happy with silver. I always have pretty high expectations for myself.
“I learned a lot. That was one of my first times weight cutting, having to perform the next day and then learning how to re-hydrate properly.
“I feel more confident in what I can do inside the ring now.”
Harrington comfortably beat Mikheil Gvasalia, from Georgia, in his opening fight before dominating against Poland’s Szymon Gryszyn in the quarter-finals.
“I felt great in that one,” the Strathpine resident said, “I thought it was one of my best performances.”
Harrington was “pretty nervous” entering the semi-final against Italy’s Tommaso Orlando but made the final by winning two of the three rounds.
“It was a really good high-level performance by Taj,” his All Star Boxing Academy coach Paul Utia said, “that tournament is almost like a world championship.
“He had a great preparation, sparring went well and it’s a big deal getting silver in your second international tournament.”
The 30th Brandenburg Cup drew fighters from the US, England, Italy, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Canada, Germany, Australia, Hungary, Poland, New Zealand, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania and Lithuania.
Harrington and Utia are now working towards the Australian national titles where the former Pine Rivers State High School students says he is going for “gold”.
Longer-term Harrington wants to turn professional around the age of 20-22, with his ultimate aim to be a world champion.
“But I want to do something in the amateurs first,” he said.