Vegas back in 'camp' for birthday bout

Vegas Larfield could have two special reasons to celebrate on May 7 - it’s the date he turns 20 and has his next fight.

Larfield will not be putting his Australian National Boxing Federation and Australasian featherweight titles on the line against India's Adil Singh in at the Royal International Convention Centre in Brisbane.

But, victory in this six-round super bantamweight contest, on an ACE Boxing show, will be an important step for the undefeated 19-year-old from All Star Boxing Academy in Lawnton.

Larfield won his first four fights inside the distance over eight rounds. In the fifth, on March 19, he won both belts with a dominant 10-round unanimous points victory over Luke Martin.

Working to plan

It was a win made more remarkable by the fact Larfield tested positive for COVID 12 days out and had to train alone at home for days before returning to the gym.

Such was the initial concern trainer Ben Harrington considered pulling his rising star out of the fight, but waited and see how Larfield recovered.  

After one week off, Larfield is already back in a pre-fight camp, aiming to extend his record to six from six on May 7 and insisting: “There’s still so much I want improve on.

'I love it'

"In the middle and late in the (Martin) fight I wanted to push for the stoppage. But we were working on things, a development plan and Ben  wanted me to keep doing what I was doing. So I did.

“We’ve watched the fight back and seen more to work on. Commentators also made suggestions. It’s good to get another perspective.

“I feel I have a lot more to do in this sport and I love it. There’s nothing I would rather be doing. Boxing has definitely taken over my life …. in a good way."

'This is the dream!'

Larfield joined All Star seven years ago, as a “rough kid who tried his hardest”. Now the goal is to be world champion and "recognised as one of the best fighters ever".

Years of hard work has already paid off. In 2020 he fought – and won - at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, one of the world’s iconic boxing venues.

“That was surreal,” Larfield said. “I remember walking to the ring thinking: ‘Gees, I’m about to fight in Las Vegas! This is the dream’.

“I think I’ve grown a lot as a person and an athlete since the early days.

“The group around me … they’re so important, my coach, manager, everyone at the gym. I couldn’t do without them.”

Training day

Larfield’s days are structured: breakfast - strength and conditioning training – home/eat/rest – sparring/pads/bag work at the gym – home/eat/rest – possible evening run.

There’s also the diet, high in carbohydrates, protein and vegetables – which he loves.

“I feel so much better, my body feels better, I feel better at training,” Larfield said. “In fact, I don’t really like down time, this (boxing) is what I love to do.

“I have Sundays at home and chill out with my girlfriend, then back into it on Mondays."

Stepping up

All Star Boxing's Ben Hussain will also be in action at the Royal International Convention Centre on May 7.

He is stepping up to middleweight, from super welter, to face undefeated Joel Pavlides who has two wins and a draw from three bouts. Hussain has four wins from five.