Originally from Melbourne, Paul Christie began life as a farmer working at Broken Hill when he was a teenager.
These experiences motivated him to purchase his own farm, which he did in the form of Corona Station in 2011.
Life was hard in Silver City during his time there, as a five-year drought struck the region.
Seeking a cooler climate to make his career viable, Christie moved his family 802km south to Benalla six years ago.
Soon after arriving and realising he needed an avenue to channel his anger at what had occurred in Broken Hill, Christie decided to join Ben Wapling’s LG Boxing Benalla.
Describing his reasoning behind starting boxing, Christie said he had to find something else to do after work besides having a beer.
“It was the best decision I ever made,” he said.
Seeing the talent that had walked through his doors, Wapling soon entered Christie into competitive fights.
This decision paid dividends immediately as the farmer won his first four fights, including becoming the holder of the national super middleweight championship in the Australian Amateur Boxing League.
He then made the decision to fight Oli Gaunt for the Masters Boxing Victoria Super Middleweight Championship.
But that was not part of a long-term plan.
Rather, the bout occurred when Christie put up his hand to face Gaunt after his original opponent pulled out four weeks before the fight.
Admittedly nervous after 12 months out of competition, Christie prepared mentally by telling himself he had been in this situation before and had always emerged victorious.
In the bout on August 17, Christie was dominant.
The referee called off the fight in the third round after three standing counts against Gaunt.
The title is the second Masters Boxing Victoria title Christie has won, having won the middleweight title in 2022.
“It felt great to win, and even better to know everything Ben and I had been working on is working,” Christie said after the fight.
Currently undefeated, Christie said he would train and fight harder than ever, as his love for the sport grew daily.
Above all, he said he just wanted to make his family proud.
2°C