There was a moment of silent awe before a collective roar emerged from a thrilled crowd as Cessnock 14-year-old Zack Fitzpatrick ended his quest for the NSW title early with a flurry of punches at Wests City on Friday night.
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The sense of awe came from the fact this wasn’t a wild rush of youthful enthusiasm but a devastating and above all controlled and balanced series of six and seven punch combinations.
Each punch was delivered from a fresh point of attack as Fitzpatrick’s feet glided effortlessly to provide a balanced platform to attack and overwhelm his opponent Jaiden Laming, a national title holder in his own right.
“The cheers from the crowd were unreal. I’ve always fought outside NSW and hadn’t had the local support,” Fitzpatrick said.
“It was unreal, I had a heap of mates come and my school principal as well.”
The roar at the end of the fight was for a great performance, the huge ovation as he entered the ring was in admiration of a young young man who has endeared himself to his community with his dedication, hard work and above all humility.
