In the land of kangaroos and boomerangs, Joel Lewis, an Aussie welterweight with a record as clean as a whistle, is gearing up to throw some leather on March 1 at Perth’s Metro City. He’s on a mission, folks – eyes on the prize for that shiny welterweight belt in the much-raved-about Thunderdome 45 showdown.
After duking it out twice with Habib Kheririkah, Lewis earned his shot to tangle with Bahtiar Sonyol, a seasoned slugger from Perth with Turkish roots, for the Western Australia State Welterweight title.
Joel’s got a bit of the underdog tale going for him, climbing from the pits to the peak. He’s all fired up to put everything on the line, aiming to snag that championship belt in what’s only his fourth professional tiff. And get this – he’s doing it with the guidance of Matt Floyd, aka “The Jedi,” at Pinky’s gym. Floyd’s more than just a coach to Lewis; he’s the Yoda to his Luke, showing him the ropes and the right hooks. And let’s not forget Tony Tolj and the Dragon Fire Boxing squad for setting up this barnburner.
Before stepping into the pro scene in Adelaide last June, Lewis tested the waters with a few amateur scuffles. Now, he’s staying busy and looking to make some noise.
Promoter Tony Tolj spilled the beans on what’s shaping up to be a cracker of a bout. Sonyol, a tough cookie with more bouts under his belt than a kangaroo has hops, is sliding back down to his comfy welterweight spot after trading blows with hotshot Jude Grant. It’s a learning curve for both pugilists, with each aiming to come out sharper and shinier.
The undercard is a full deck with 12 bouts, featuring the crème de la crème of Western Australia’s boxing brigade. From Australasian champ Jordan Laruccia to state kings Jude Grant, Richard Lockett, and Lewis Clarke, plus a double whammy of heavyweight throwdowns and four fresh faces making their pro debuts. It’s a boxing bonanza that’s going to kick the year off with a bang.
Promoter Tony Tolj discusses the upcoming Title Clash
“This is a step up clash for Joel (lewis), Sonyol is well experienced opponent who is coming of back to back wars with undefeated Australian prospect Jude Grant and was 2 divisions out of his weight division. Now Sonyol is going back to Welterweight his natural weight class. Both fighters will learn from this fight and better for it.
“The card is stacked with 12 fights. An impressive lineup with Western Australias top talent. Australasian Champion Jordan Laruccia, State Champions Jude Grant, Richard Lockett & Lewis Clarke, Habib Kherikah, Jack Thompson, 2x Heavyweight showdowns & 4 pro debuts with top amateur going pro. This will set the scene for a massive year of Western Australian boxing.
You can follow all the action from Thunderdome 45 on FITE TV / TRILLER TV.