Renold Quinlan on Jake Carr, postponements and the Australian title

 
RENOLD Quinlan is a big believer in fate.

 
In his eyes, he is already the best super middleweight in the country, but on Wednesday night he gets the chance to prove it, when he challenges Australian super middleweight champion Jake Carr from Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion.

 
After two cancellations, the seemingly ill-fated title fight will take place on the stacked Grange Old School Boxing card, headlined by the highly anticipated showdown between former unified middleweight champion Daniel Geale and former world title challenger Jarrod Fletcher.

 
“With the first and second fights, things happen for a reason,” said Quinlan in an exclusive interview with Aus-Boxing. “All I can say to that is that it’s on now and everyone can watch it.”

 
The fight was initially pencilled in for August 15th in Melbourne, but was ultimately scrapped when Jake Carr severed managerial ties with the event promoter Barry Michael.

 
This appeared to be beneficial to all parties involved, as the fight, which was originally scheduled to be off-TV, landed on the televised portion of the Alex Leapai vs. Malik Scott card.

 
However, it wasn’t to be as the event broadcaster Main Event withdrew their interest in the card, after the advertised undercard was cancelled altogether.

 
“Well, I think everyone wanted to see the fight on television – that’s a good thing – and it’s easier for everybody now.” Quinlan added.

 
Having been out of the ring since April, the title challenge against Carr (8-0, 3 KOs) will mark the end of an extended training camp for Quinlan (8-0, 4 KOs), which has been in place since as early as July.

 
In that time, Quinlan, 25, spent time in the US with Anthony Mundine, where the Indigenous prospect served as a sparring partner for Mundine’s high-profile upset of Sergey Rabchenko in Melbourne last month.

 
“Sparring at Robert Garcia’s gym in Oxnard was great,” Quinlan explained. “Going over there with Choc was a big help, he has been helping me heaps with this fight.”

 
“I’m blessed to have him and now Uncle Tony Mundine as my trainer for this fight too. He’s with working me and helping with my training too and helping me do things in general. It’s a blessing.”

 
With one marquee win secured, Quinlan is looking to continue the impressive form of Boxa managed fighters in high-risk fights, with fellow stablemate David Aloua and the aforementioned Mundine already winning against the odds this year.

 
In spite of the postponements and unfavourable delays that have dragged out the salivating match-up with Carr, the Redfern-based Quinlan believes it will all have worked in his favour by the time fight night arrives.

 
“Nothing has changed for me, just my training has lifted because I’m working harder then ever,” he continued. “Come Wednesday night, everyone is going to see a new Renold Quinlan.”

 
“Winning the Aussie title means the world to me. It is something I have dreamed about for years – it’s like winning a world title for me – and that’s why I’m taking this fight as if I was fighting for a world title.”

 
“I’m doing it for my family, my friends, my supporters out there, but most of all my daughters.”

 
 
Photo: Louie Abigail/Photography by Rockfingrz