Officiating at the event for the third time senior judge Terry Kidd and referee Richard Altman, both from Brisbane, gave the event the thumbs up. With two exhibition bouts and thirteen fights on the card spectators were treated to a first class display of pugilism with no one leaving disappointed.

Two bouts that had the crowd on their feet were firstly Shannay Stringer Vs Ebonee Hearne, both from Derricks Boxing followed by Jesse Howie Vs Laphya Ruben, both from Cairns ‘Do It Boxing Club’. While these were exhibitions the ‘light sparring’ seemed to pick up pace at times.

In other bouts Scott Wickham, Derricks Boxing, Vs Nathan Wills, All Stars, came down to just a one point difference with Wickham getting the nod. Jack Killingbeck, Alice Springs G Training Vs Andy McKeown, Cloncurry PCYC, drew the main bout and did not let the ranking down. McKeown took out the honours and Killingbeck has stated his intentions on returning.

Another great bout was Golden Oaks Corey Thorpe getting the decision over Do It Boxing’s Rob Walker.

Candice Butler from All Stars and Sarah Pizzey, Golden Oaks, gave it everything in the first fight for both of them. Pizzey held the trophy aloft though with both girls stating while it was their first it would not be their last. Crawford has already started looking for future opponents.

The boys from Cairns Do It Boxing have asked promoter Scott Crawford to give them first option for a  number of fights at ‘Battle in the Outback 4’. Their coach Zap DeJong and ten of his troupe left Cairns midnight Thursday arriving in the Isa 3pm Friday. Around midnight Saturday after the fights they again packed the bus to head home.

DeJong’s gym is under his house where, besides training his regular boys and girls six days a week, most nights he takes the bus out picking up disadvantaged kids to bring home where he teaches them boxing. He has little to no funding and to get here this week they ran a couple of sausage sizzles.

Such is the generosity of Mount Isa on hearing his story, along with having an old fashioned coin shower for the junior fighters on the night, they also chipped in to help DeJong and his team.

The decision on Best Bout of the Night certainly had Paul Slater, himself a well credentialed boxer in his day, giving thought to a number of bouts with Cameron Malone from Alice Springs Youth and Community Boxing Centre and Ryan Stevens getting their names engraved on the Rob Carson Memorial Bell.

Fighter of the night, Clayton Sharp, Derricks Boxing, was again a selection which had Slater having to give a lot of thought too. While he felt Sharp was the fighter on the night he added there were another four or five that also stood out.

Probably though the biggest support on the night was for Kaydee Steed’s Lux Make up Studio Promo girls Zena, Stacy, Danielle and Millie.

So, with the third one down, Crawford will take a break for a month or so before he begins plans for another bigger and better ‘Battle in the Outback 4’.