Years of training and hard work in the gym have been all in preparation for the biggest tournament of the young boxer’s career.

Gasio, who turned 17 years old on Tuesday, will be hoping to improve on the bronze medal he achieved at the corresponding competition two years ago.

“I do have some nerves but I’m more excited than anything to get down there and compete,” Gasio said.

“It has been a long road to get to where I am today, but it will all be worth it when I claim the gold medal.”

Today and tomorrow’s competition will be qualifying rounds for the light middleweight Spinifex State School senior campus student ahead of  Saturday’s finals.

“Because of the three-day workload down in Hobart, I have been working on improving my fitness levels in recent weeks,” Gasio said.

“With multiple fights expected each day, my body is going to be at peak endurance, which will aid me in my recovery between bouts.

“Having already been to a national titles before, I know what level I have to be at to compete.

“I know in myself that I am better prepared both physically and mentally than I was two years ago.

“That bronze medal has driven me since then and I’m ready to take home the gold.”

Fresh off claiming the senior men’s middleweight Queensland title in September, where he was forced to fight up two weight divisions, Gasio knows the task won’t be easy.

“Most of the fighters I will come up against are complete unknowns to me and I’m the same to them,” he said.

“It will take me a little while to figure out their styles and approach to the fight.

“But I can use that to my advantage as they won’t know too much about me.”

This will be Gasio’s last year in the junior division, before moving up to the under-19 intermediate division.

‘‘I’d like to thank all the people who have supported me, in particular the Buffs Club, Robbie Katter and Murphy Stanley, who have made my dream a reality by jumping on board with sponsorship,” he said.

“Without their help, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”