Fred Brophy’s Boxing Troupe is a highlight on the Lighthouse Hotel’s calendar and will again entertain on 19-20 July with local mum Kiley Dean ready to fight.
This year, Lighthouse Hotel bar staff “Killer” Kiley Dean will put on the pink gloves and take her chances against professional boxer Brettlyn “Beaver” Neal when they go toe-to-toe in the ring.
Kiley, 40, said she wasn’t feeling nervous yet, but on the day when she was about to step into the Fred Brophy’s Boxing ring it may be a different story.
“This will be my first experience boxing, I like to give anything a go and have some fun,” Kiley said.
“I like to keep fit, I used to kickbox when I was younger, and I also do also taekwondo.”
As a mother of three girls Kiley said she will encourage them, and anyone in the community, to step outside their comfort zone and tackle something like boxing, even against a professional boxer, if they have the chance.
“This will be something I can tell my grandchildren about when I finally get some,” she said.
Lighthouse Hotel promotion manager Tania Deviney said it was the fourth time Fred Brophy’s Boxing Troupe had taken place at the pub, and she was expecting it to be a knock-out event.
It may be the first time “Killer” Kiley steps into the ring, but Tania said as a lightweight the 40 year old would be fast on her feet and have a good chance against the almighty Beaver.
“Kiley is a lightweight going up against heavyweight Beaver, but she may be able to run circles around her if she keeps moving,” Tania said.
“Kiley does a lot of kickboxing and is really fit, so I think she will be fine.”
Tania said the boxing event was not as violent as the public may sometimes think, but more of a sporting activity.
“Freddie opens the show by beating his drum and calling for volunteers to step up and fight the professionals,” Tania said.
“The trained fighters take on locals, and they only hit back as hard as they are hit.”
Who is Fred Brophy?
Fred Brophy is an Australian outback legend, and fourth generation showman, and he was inducted into the Queensland Boxing Hall of Fame in 2009.
Brophy runs the world’s last travelling boxing troupe, and even though things have changed during his time travelling around the country, the entertainment is still the same.
Local fighters of all shape, size and boxing ability will have the chance to test themselves in the ring against Brophy’s best men and women at the two-night event on 19 and 20 July.
For those wanting to see Killer Kiley take on her larger opponent there is a free bus from the Bundaberg Post Office, leaving at 6pm both nights.
Tickets are available from the Lighthouse Hotel for a presale price of $35 or $40 on the door at the event.
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