Sport
21 July, 2022
Connor can’t wait for first pro fight
CABOOLTURE boxer Connor Dippelsmann is gearing up for his first professional bout this Friday, following 50 fights in six years as an amateur.
Having recorded 39 wins and 11 losses during those six years, Connor (pictured) will take on John Min at the Brisbane-based Greek Club as part of an extended night of professional fights.
“It’s definitely exciting, 100 percent exciting,” Connor said of the change from amateur to professional boxing ranks.
“Obviously the nerves are there but it’s what I’ve always wanted to do.”
Connor has also become accustomed to being recognised more than previously, having encountered strangers who knew of him.
“I go down the road, and sometimes people say ‘Hi Connor’,” he said.
“I’m like ‘do I know you?’.
“They say ‘I follow you on Instagram’.”
This Friday’s bout will not only be a step-up from amateur to professional ranks for Connor, but also a step-up from the 55kg to the 60kg weight division.
Connor’s opponent hails from New South Wales and has had 41 professional bouts, for nine wins and 32 losses.
The Caboolture product said he had trained for his maiden professional fight since last December, but for various reasons it was hard to arrange a bout.
“You’ve got to treat every fight like it’s the hardest fight,” he said.
Connor won a gold medal at the Australian titles in 2018 and 2019 then was selected to represent his country in the Tasman Cup, held in New Zealand before the 2020 Covid crisis.
A roofer by trade, Connor said boxing kept him “fit for everything” while his boxing hero was Tevin Farmer, an American professional who held the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super featherweight title from 2018 to 2020.
Having done karate for a number of years, Connor said he chose to specialise in boxing as he enjoyed the physical nature of it.
“It’s not just that, you also learn a lot from people,” he said.
“You learn from others in the gym that you’re not the best, and it humbles you.
“I wanted to learn to defend myself.
“Being hit has helped me learn to move and not get hit, and it keeps me active on my feet.”
Connor said mental strength was another vital aspect of boxing, while every fight was different from every other fight.
“You do have time to think and set traps, although there’s lots of reaction,” he said.
“But with all the training we do, it comes as a first move, instant.”
Connor’s only boxing coach has been Spiders Boxing Club head coach Luke Sheehan, who said Connor had “done pretty much everything needed at amateur level” and was ready for professional bouts.
“Because he’s young, it gives him plenty of time to settle into the professional ranks,” Luke said.
“In amateur (boxing) it’s similar to sprinting: very fast paced, and you’re looking to score points.
“In professional ranks you’ve got time to break down an opponent, and it’s more of a chess match.
“You can’t just go in and throw punches. It’s more strategic.”
