Zedda, Izaiah and Urijah Harrington met boxing royalty Eddie Hearn in Melbourne. Photo: Supplied
Shepparton boxing starlets Izaiah and Urijah Harrington ticked off a bucket list item as they rubbed shoulders with legendary promoter Eddie Hearn in the build-up to the Victorian State Finals.
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The sibling pair - who fight out of the Goulburn Valley Boxing Academy (GVBA) - are preparing to represent the region on the big stage at the garland underage state titles event at the Whitehorse Club between May 2-3.
The Harrington brood, including cousin Knox Harrington, have made the 220km trip to Melbourne alongside fellow GVBA fighters Chase Brisbane, Murtaza Akbari and Kobe Pryde as they all vie for supremacy in Victoria in their respective divisions.
With a potential run at nationals level in the offing in the future too, GVBA coach Zedda Harrington - father of Izaiah and Urijah - reflected on a week to remember in the lead-up to the state finals in Burwood, Melbourne.
Donning their gloves down at Chapel St Boxing gym in St Kilda, the brothers took part exclusive training session with former WBC female featherweight champion and current WBC interim female super-bantamweight title holder Skye Nicholson.
“We got invited by Wendy, the owner of Chapel St Boxing,” Zedda said, as he reflected on this experience for his two boys with the Commonwealth Games gold medallist.
“To have a session with a Commonwealth gold medallist and someone who’s won a world championship, the boys took a lot from it - they asked a lot of questions and I got from it how much the boys are on the path to maybe reaching those heights.
“She went back to the ages the boys are now and you could really relate to her, nothing was foreign in terms of our thought patterns and it really stuck with us and reassured the boys to keep sticking at it!”
Following on from this, the siblings continued their preparations for the weekend’s title bouts at a Boxing Victoria underage camp at the house that the legendary Beau Gerring built down at Footscray Youth Club.
“Over the last ten years I’ve attended it as a coach and now obviously I’ve been able to bring the boys along,” Zedda said.
“We always have a strong number from our region at those camps and they always take a lot out of it.”
Shepparton boxing starlets Izaiah and Urijah Harrington met Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn. Photos: Supplied
Perhaps the most surreal twist in the tale was still to come though, as Izaiah and Urijah experienced a true brush with boxing royalty, as they enjoyed a run through Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens alongside none other than Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn.
“Wherever he holds an event, he gets the community together to run a 5k,” Zedda said of the Fight Day 5k.
“It was really great for the boys to meet him and we had a lot of questions - who knows, maybe the boys may be under him one day!”
The British sporting impresario, who counts two-time world heavyweight belt holder Anthony Joshua and undisputed light-welterweight world champion Katie Taylor on his books, kindly posed for photographs with the aspiring Shepparton brothers.
“He had a few words for the boys and we talked about the Anthony Joshua - Tyson Fury fight in November.”
The Harrington brothers were put through the paces by legendary promoter Eddie Hearn
It has been a week that will stay with the Harrington family for years to come and it still could get even better - if siblings Izaiah and Urijah and cousin Knox can bring the belts home to Shepparton at the weekend.
Whatever happens, it is clear that the boys have the backing of their hometown, with city youth leader Safa Zahir having presented the brothers with a formal Letter of Acknowledgement from Kim O’Keefe MP before the state finals.
“We’ve got six nominated (GVBA) boxers here, which is pretty outstanding for our region,” Zedda continued, as he previewed the upcoming action from the Whitehorse Club.
“We’re 200km outside of Melbourne and you won’t see that from any other gym - we’re really proud to be able to achieve that and compete with these metro guys.
“Also my nephew (Knox) having his debut is a really special occasion, a lot of my motivation comes from my old man who is no longer with us.
“For him to be able to look down at what is transpiring fuels the fire and to have another Harrington in the mix is pretty special, following on the family tradition.”
