Trent Broadhurst on Shawn Miller and injury rehabilitation

TRENT Broadhurst is at the stage of his career where every fight is essentially make-or-break.

 

That trend will continue tonight when the hard-hitting Slacks Creek resident faces the unperturbed and overweight New Yorker Shawn Miller at Eatons Hill Hotel in Brisbane for an IBF affiliated regional title.

 

Broadhurst, 28, and Miller, 34, will face off with the winner to be placed in a lucrative position to challenge for an eventual eliminator for a mandatory position at the IBF strap, presently held by kingpin Sergey Kovalev.

 

After injury derailed their initial date in May, Broadhurst is happy to be back on track.

 

“I unfortunately got injured at work back in February this year,” said Broadhurst to Aus-Boxing. “After a few weeks it just didn’t seem to get any better. I went to the doctor and they discovered I severed a nerve in my hand,”

 

“It required surgery and that’s why I have been out this year, the recovery has been a long process. The doctors told me that it only grows about a millimetre a day, so in all it took about 100 days to grow back.”

 

“There still isn’t much feeling in it, but it’s functioning so I’m ready to get back in there.”

 

Having spent large patches of his professional career on the sidelines, Broadhurst (17-1, 11 KOs) is the first to admit to the frustration of sitting on the sidelines, especially when he had fights already in place for the year.

 

“I had two fights planned for early this year in May and April,” he explained. “So realistically – I should be having my third or fourth fight – by this time of the year. It’s definitely pushed my plans back quite a lot,”

 

“My team has been looking for some solid opponents overseas to give me some rounds, I still haven’t boxed past eight rounds in my career as yet. At this points in my career, that’s really what I’m chasing here against Miller,”

 

Although Miller (15-2-1, 5 KOs) hasn’t fought a murderers row of opponents, he comes with pedigree having been trained by respected boxing authority John ‘Iceman’ Scully, who is a respected tactician from Connecticut.

 

But to Broadhurst, these things are trivial, as he plans to continue his climb up the IBF ratings.

 

“This is a massive opportunity for me,” he admitted.

 

“This fight and title was scheduled for May – but because of my injury it had to be put back – I can’t wait.”

 

“I’m sitting at number twelve in the IBF ratings; hopefully a good win here will push me. Just maybe, we might be able to entice one of these bigger name guys to fight me, but overall my preparation has been unreal,”

 

Broadhurst has long been touted as the sparring partner to the stars, including Anthony Mundine and Daniel Geale. But for this camp, Broadhurst has been given a hand from a unique source in cruiserweight Kane Watts.

 

“I would have sparred about fifty to sixty rounds with Kane Watts, who is a big strong cruiserweight, which was good cause was preparing for his Danny Green fight earlier in month. The way it worked out, it was perfect timing,”

 

“That helped me a lot early on in my preparation and especially the last few weeks and I’m really looking to go up another level from my last fight and win against Rob Powdrill. It’s been my best preparation to date,”

 

“I believe it will show come Saturday night.”

 

 

Photo: Ric Frearson