The 21-year-old from Wingham recorded his biggest win when he took out the Sunstate Golden Gloves in a promotion held near Cairns. As previously reported in the Times, O'Donnell, usually a middleweight (70kg), was forced to fight in the light heavyweight division (81kgs). However, he this didn't faze him as he scored a unanimous points decision in the final.

O'Donnell is the Manning River Times-Iguana Sportstar of the Week, earning a $50 open order at Iguana.

Despite the weight difference, O'Donnell said he was confident going into the bout.

"In boxing, you have to be confident,'' he explained.

He thought he was in charge from the opening exchanges in the bout decided over four two minute rounds. While he was sure he had secured the title, he said it was a 'huge thrill' when this was confirmed.

This was just his second win in six fights, however, O'Donnell explained he was giving away experience and ring craft to previous opponents. He's confident he is now in a position to improve his record.

"My next fight should be in Tasmania in seven or eight weeks,'' O'Donnell explained.

"Then I'll start to concentrate on the nationals.''

RELATED: Great Golden Gloves win

How he performs in Melbourne at year's end will be career defining. He may decide to stay in the amateur ranks, with the view of gaining a start in Australian troupe for the next Commonwealth Games, or he might turn professional.

While he slogged out a win as a light heavyweight in Queensland, O'Donnell is happy to stay as a middleweight.

He trains twice a day from Monday to Friday with the Knuckle Up Boxing Gym in Taree while he heads to Newcastle each Saturday for sparring sessions along with fellow Knuckle Up boxer Lachie Shannon-Brown. He said a lack of sparring partners here is the reason they hit the road, where they box at the Steel City Gym. This is the base for a number of professional pugilists and highly ranked amateurs and O'Donnell explains that it is great experience.

He started boxing a bit over two years ago.

"I was a scrawny kid and I wanted to learn to look after myself,'' he said.

However, the more he delved into the sweet science, as boxing is known, the more he enjoyed it.

"But everything just stopped in the pandemic,'' he said.

"We had eight boxers at the gym, but then with nothing happening, there was only Lachie and me left. The numbers are starting to build up now though.''

He previously played football with the Taree Wildcats in the Coastal Premier League, but switched to Tinonee in the Southern League this year, where there's less travel involved.

O'Donnell said this gives him more time to concentrate on his boxing.

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