Former professional boxer Matt Ropis said a police boxing club would bring many benefits to the Noble Park community.By Rebecca Fraser
FORMER champion boxer Matt Ropis says there is no better sport than boxing to build character and selfconfidence.
“That is a fact,” the Noble Park resident said as he prepared to start a women’s boxing club at the Noble Park Community Centre.
Mr Ropis won the Australian lightweight title in 1974 and held the title until 1976, and said a local boxing club would bring many benefits to Noble Park.
Tonight (Thursday) Mr Ropis will hold a boxing demonstration, information and enrolment session at the community centre for any women interested in taking up the fourweek training course.
But Mr Ropis said he soon hoped to extend the program to men and form a Police boxing club.
“Women’s boxing is the next big thing and it will be an Olympic sport in Beijing,” he said.
“Walking down the streets of Dandenong I see there is just so much untapped potential here.
“This course will help women protect themselves and will also build selfconfidence and give women courage to stick up for themselves.
“I am really going to try and get the best out of them over the next month,” he said.
Mr Ropis said he came up with the idea of a boxing club after going down to the Noble Park train station and seeing many young people hanging around with nothing to do.
He said he would like to extend the program to the Sudanese community.
“What I am also trying to do is help the Sudanese population assimilate and join in with the community and make new friends,” he said.
“I have been speaking to some Sudanese elders and members of the Sudanese community about my ideas and they have been very supportive.”
Mr Ropis said the Adult Multicultural Education Services (AMES) had also expressed interest in getting involved with the proposed boxing program and would also try to help those taking part to find work.
“(Greater Dandenong) Mayor Maria Sampey has also been great and is helping find a suitable location in Noble Park for the club and has been very supportive of the idea,” he said.
“Cr David Kelly has been as well.”
Dandenong Ward representative Cr Kelly said a local boxing club would help keep Noble Park’s youth off the streets and would break down the barriers between young people and the police.
“There is already a boxing club in Hammond Road, Dandenong, and there are some really good kids down there with a lot of potential,” he said.
“It would be great to get this up and running in Noble Park.”
The fourweek women’s course will run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6.30pm with makeup classes on Saturday mornings.
Mr Ropis has donated his services for free, with the course cost of $30 going to cover the hall rent.
Tonight’s (Thursday) information session starts at 6.30pm at the Noble Park Community Centre, Memorial Drive, Noble Park.
