Boxing: Reid Gray wins League Boxing NSW debut clash in Hobart

He cuts a diminutive figure for a boy of 12 years old, not to mention slight. But his frame is wiry, not skinny, and belies an aptitude for speed and agility that is matched only by his utter determination.

And on Saturday, the youngster's many strengths coalesced as he battled his way to a victory on NSW debut.

"We're proud of him," One2Boxing head coach, Jamie Carroll, said.

"It's a massive effort. This kid's only 12, and he's hopping on a plane with a team of kids he doesn't really know."

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Gray was the only member of One2Boxing selected for the League Boxing NSW's under 14s side, which travelled to Hobart over the weekend to take on Tasmania in a head-to-head competition.

Up against an opponent with a marked advantage in reach and height, Gray put together a scintillating performance.

"Before he went away, I said 'Mate, you've just got to make sure you outwork them'," Carroll said.

"Fighting a hometown guy down there, he was unlikely to win a close one. He had to really dominate if he wanted the win."

After a slow start in round one, Gray picked up the pace and, by the third, almost finished his opponent.

It was a proud moment for the young man in just his second amateur fight, and the performance ensured him a place on the One2Boxing team for the national championships next month, which will again take place in Hobart.

Gray's success is also representative of the growth of boxing talent within Tamworth.

He is one of a number of juniors from One2Boxing that have shown great promise in the last year, which has Carroll (who is also the manager of League Boxing NSW's junior program) excited for what lies ahead.

"I think our kids will be ready for nationals next year," he said.

"All our 12-year-olds will be put through this program that I'll run throughout the state next year. And I think next year, we'll be rocking up to nationals with a big, healthy squad from Tamworth and hopefully bringing a lot of belts home."

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