Willie Nasio 8-1 and Joel Clifton 4-1 will contest the national heavyweight title made vacant by Peter Graham.
This bout is on the undercard of the Graham vs Long WBF title fight in Darwin, February 27th.
Willie Nasio vs Joel Clifton - Australian heavyweight title - Feb 27th
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Redback Rasta
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Re: Willie Nasio vs Joel Clifton - Australian heavyweight title - Feb 27th
What a jokeRedback Rasta wrote:Willie Nasio 8-1 and Joel Clifton 4-1 will contest the national heavyweight title made vacant by Peter Graham.
This bout is on the undercard of the Graham vs Long WBF title fight in Darwin, February 27th.
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Redback Rasta
- Welterweight
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Re: Willie Nasio vs Joel Clifton - Australian heavyweight title - Feb 27th
Soldier Joel Clifton overcomes debilitating injuries to earn shot at Australian heavyweight title
THREE years ago Brisbane soldier Joel Clifton needed help just to walk. On Saturday night he challenges heavy hitter Willie Nasio for the Australian heavyweight title in Darwin.
The 103kg infantryman burst on to the professional scene in 2014 after turning to boxing to help him recover from debilitating injuries sustained during a deployment.
“While we were in Afghanistan (in 2012) on pretty much every patrol I’d roll both my ankles over and just with the load of the packs it put undue stress on my hips,” Clifton said.
“Eventually it tore my hips a little bit, so (there were) labral tears and bones crushed.
“There were little bits of bones floating about so there was grinding and clicking in both (of my hips).”
Clifton soldiered on for 12 months before the pain became too much and he sought medical help.
After two surgeries, three months on crutches and an extensive rehabilitation program, Clifton was cleared to walk and decided to get back into the sport he had dabbled in since childhood.
“Too many people get injured and go in the opposite direction, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to make something good out of getting injured,” he said.
Clifton has been training professionally for two years, squeezing in two training sessions a day around full time service with 8/9 RAR.
The light-footed fighter dubbed “Delicious” has won four bouts out of five, including the Queensland heavyweight title, and felt confident he would best Nasio tonight.
Clifton’s mates from 8/9 RAR deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq, and troops still at Enoggera’s Gallipoli barracks will all gather to watch the bout.
THREE years ago Brisbane soldier Joel Clifton needed help just to walk. On Saturday night he challenges heavy hitter Willie Nasio for the Australian heavyweight title in Darwin.
The 103kg infantryman burst on to the professional scene in 2014 after turning to boxing to help him recover from debilitating injuries sustained during a deployment.
“While we were in Afghanistan (in 2012) on pretty much every patrol I’d roll both my ankles over and just with the load of the packs it put undue stress on my hips,” Clifton said.
“Eventually it tore my hips a little bit, so (there were) labral tears and bones crushed.
“There were little bits of bones floating about so there was grinding and clicking in both (of my hips).”
Clifton soldiered on for 12 months before the pain became too much and he sought medical help.
After two surgeries, three months on crutches and an extensive rehabilitation program, Clifton was cleared to walk and decided to get back into the sport he had dabbled in since childhood.
“Too many people get injured and go in the opposite direction, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to make something good out of getting injured,” he said.
Clifton has been training professionally for two years, squeezing in two training sessions a day around full time service with 8/9 RAR.
The light-footed fighter dubbed “Delicious” has won four bouts out of five, including the Queensland heavyweight title, and felt confident he would best Nasio tonight.
Clifton’s mates from 8/9 RAR deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq, and troops still at Enoggera’s Gallipoli barracks will all gather to watch the bout.
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Like a Boss
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Re: Willie Nasio vs Joel Clifton - Australian heavyweight title - Feb 27th
Willie Nasio defeated Joel Clifton KO4 winning the vacant Australian heavyweight title.