Alex Winwood shares the love in pursuit of world title
For Noongar fighter and WBC strawweight world title contender, Alex Winwood, home is where the heart is.
In his four professional bouts to date, all fought in Perth, that heart has been his mob and community rallying around his rise in the sport.
Now based on the Queensland-New South Wales border, it's his long-term partner making the distance between either side of the country feel a lot shorter.
Winwood said he's keen to "show the love back" to those who have supported him.
"I love my city. That's where my heart is and I'm very excited to be able to showcase my skills in my hometown,"
The semi-regular trips home and having his partner with him on the east coast has helped with the adjustment to living interstate.
"Wherever my partner is, is home," he said.
"I am very I am very blessed that I get to go back and fight on home country and see all the mob… every 12 weeks."
Between those support networks an unprecedented journey is taking shape.
With his most recent win over the Philippines' Cris Ganoza on December 1, Winwood locked in a mandated 'final eliminator' bout for Japanese champion Yudai Shigeoka's belt in the new year.
It means the 26-year-old is poised to fight WBC number-one-rated Luis Castillo to determine the man with the next shot at Shigeoka's world title.
The coming test seals a remarkable first 12 months in the professional arena.
He's now within reaching distance of the ultimate goal.
Winwood felt "pretty close" to ending his most recent win over Ganoza early.
In the end it was a unanimous decision from the judges at the end of 10 rounds which handed him a 4-0 record to end the year.
While knowing his next opponent would be keeping a close eye on the contest, Winwood believes there's only so much you can take from footage before jumping into the ring with someone.
He's also faced the prospect of travelling for the first time.
"As an amateur, I travelled around the world… I feel like I'm quite seasoned when it comes to travelling and fighting abroad. If need be and it comes to it, then I'm more than prepared to go over and do it in his backyard or wherever else," he said.
If Winwood completes the dream start by securing a world title in six fights he'll be the fastest Australian man to do so in history.
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