Junior flyweight Alex ‘The A-Rock’ Winwood 2-0 (2) might just be two fights into his pro career, but he already has his sights set on greatness.
The 25-year-old Australian from the Perth suburb of Mandurah opened his pro account last November against Stinky Mario Bunda 3-4 (3) of Indonesia, stopping him in the second round of a scheduled six.
A little more than three months later he delivered another scintillating performance with a fourth-round knockout once-beaten of Tibo Monabesa 21-2-2 (8) in a 10-rounder. Winwood dominated the fight with his speed and power, dropping the Indonesian southpaw one in the third and twice in the fourth to close the show at the 1:16 mark.
The victory launched Winwood into the WBC rankings at number 13. Things are moving quickly for Winwood and if everything goes to plan, they will only move quicker.
“Twelve months ago I was still in the amateur system training for the Commonwealth Games,” Winwood told the National Indigneous Times.
“To think that within three months of turning pro that I’ve made it in the top 15 in the world, it’s pretty surreal.”
Winwood’s team want their charge to win a world title in less than seven fights, bettering Australian legend Jeff Fenech’s record.
The plan is to move Winwood down to minimumweight to achieve that.
“This is the risk reward factor that we’re going after and obviously I have what it takes to match these guys and beat them,” Winwood said.
“We’re trying to do things fast and I think I’ve got the ability so it’s just about taking the risks… there’s big rewards behind it.”
The West Australian is now based in far-north NSW with his globally-respected trainer Angelo Hyder, who is working to get him down in weight.
“We’re going to drop down to minimum and get rated for the world title,” Hyder said.
“I’m training him now, early, to change his body just that little bit to try and get the muscle off him that’s not needed and change it around a little bit.”
The WBC minimumweight champion is Petchmanee CP Freshmart 39-1 (23), who will make the fourth defence of the world title he won against Wanheng Menayothin 55-3 (19) in November 2020 when he takes on Japanese southpaw Yudai Shigeoka 6-0 (4) at the Yoyogi #2 Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan on April 16.
The Ring magazine rates the 32-year-old CP Freshmart of Thailand as their number two contender at 105-pounds.
“I just want to thank them for giving me the opportunity and allowing me to display my talent at such an early stage in my career,” Winwood said.
