Coach back in the corner as couple shares spotlight on fight night

Nambour boxing couple Jayda Glazebrook and Sam Pata will share a rare sporting milestone next weekend when they climb into the ring on the same fight card – with Jayda returning to competition after nine years away.

The OneHeart Boxing Academy pair will compete at Caloundra City Boxing’s War of the Worlds event at Queen Street Hall, Caloundra, on Saturday, September 26.

Their preparation has also brought veteran OneHeart coach Charlie Wetere back from retirement.

After three decades coaching in Nambour, Mr Wetere retired from day-to-day coaching last year as Jayda took a greater role with OneHeart. But she later invited her former coach back to help train Sam.

Then Jayda decided she wanted to fight again.

Mr Wetere has spent the past three months training the couple and is now also back helping Jayda with OneHeart classes.

For Jayda, who first walked into OneHeart at 13, her return to the ring will come nine years after her last fight at just 15.

She will contest the South East Queensland light middleweight title against Jacqueline Arthur, from Hit House Gym at Bli Bli.

Sam will fight Matt Godfrey, from Mafi Kings Gym, in a super middleweight bout on the same program.

For Mr Wetere, having partners preparing side-by-side before fighting on the same night is a first.

“Never had a couple on a show before. Very rare,” he said.

His return to coaching has also extended beyond OneHeart. Mr Wetere and Sam now volunteer twice a week teaching boxing at Lookout 07, a Warana youth drop-in centre for young people aged 12 to 25.

Founded by Leon Stensholm, the centre provides young people with a supervised space including a gym and boxing facilities.

Mr Wetere described it as an “amazing space” and said it was “something Nambour needs”.

He said two young female boxers emerging through Lookout 07 were also preparing to fight for OneHeart.

Doors at Queen Street Hall, 87 Queen Street, Caloundra, open at 4pm, with the first fight at 5pm. More information: caloundracityboxing.com.au. Tickets via Oztix.

‘Never had a couple on a show before’: Boxers Sam Pata and Jayda Glazebrook with coach Charlie Wetere.