Young guns blazing: Local up-and-comers populate fight night card

That, at least, is how head coach Jamie Carroll sees it. A handful of the club's foundation members have moved on for the time being, while they have simultaneously seen a host of new, young talents begin to make their mark on the sport.

And on the looming Bad Intentions 9 card in Gunnedah, four such up-and-comers will make the walk to the ring on April 13.

Shaun Kampe and Kyan Martin will fight Queensland's Darcy Long and Dubbo's Charlie Caskey respectively, while Rohan Martin and Kobe Hunt will feature in exhibition bouts.

Kampe, Carroll said, has been out of action since last year due to his many personal commitments with work and martial arts.

"He's had a bit of time off, but he's been training hard and he's ready to go," Carroll said.

"Shaun's supremely talented, he's got a lot going for him in the ring. And when he puts his mind to it, he'll be anything he wants to be in boxing."

By contrast, Kyan has fought four times this year, and once again finds himself up against an older opponent.

But as he proved at the King of the Ring tournament in Sydney last month, those differences are no obstacle.

"He's gaining valuable experience, and he's at it again fighting an older opponent," Carroll said.

"Last time he fought a bigger opponent. So he's gaining tremendous experience that's going to boost him towards the end of the year, when he takes on the Aussie titles."

Rohan and Hunt, meanwhile, have been given exhibition bouts "to keep them warm", as it has been hard to find them opponents of their own age and size.

With the event to take place in Gunnedah, just an hour down the road from Tamworth, Carroll and his athletes effectively see it as a home event.

Moreover, they take it as an opportunity to repay Black 'n' Blue Boxing gym, as their fighters train and spar together regularly.

"We'll have a lot of Tamworth people coming over and supporting them," Carroll said.

"We're looking to go over there and support the Gunnedah people. The Black 'n' Blue fighters, the Armidale fighters, the guys that we work with week in, week out."