It’s 2004, and young Indigenous boxing hopeful Daniel Geale’s dreams of boxing at the Athens Olympics have just been shattered. Since his father took him to a boxing gym when he was nine years old, the young Tasmanian has dreamed of nothing else. So after winning Gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, losing his Olympic qualifying bout was a devasting blow which brought Daniel to the brink of quitting the sport. “A few thoughts crossed my mind about whether this was what I really wanted.” Daniel reflects. “I was working full-time and had sort of got back to a bit of normal life. But I’d had a taste of it and I knew that I wanted to box. It’s what I love.” Four years on and the decision to follow his heart has paid off for Daniel in spades. Late last year, Daniel outpointed Daniel Dawson, another highly rated up-and-coming Australian boxer, to clinch the IBO (International Boxing Organisation) middleweight world title in his adopted city of Sydney. Three weeks after the bout, Daniel is still on top of the world and looking forward to the next step in a career now brimming with opportunity.

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