THERE'S an old saying that states that the last thing to go for a fighter is his punch.
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Tamworth's Wayne Hall will be hoping that saying is accurate when he competes in the featherweight division at the Australian Masters Championships in Adelaide in October.
The 69-year-old is no stranger to the Masters Championships, having competed at the event the last three years.
Hall told the Leader boxing was a "life-long passion."
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"I first started when I was 10 years old, I was an amateur and professional boxer until I was 23, but I gave it up when I had my kids," Hall said.
"However, I took it up again in 2015 and have competed at the Masters Championships pretty much every year since.
"I had 99 amateur fights, 23 professional fights and I have had five fights at the masters, and I still haven't been beaten at the masters."
A butcher by trade, Hall said he would be relying on more traditional methods to help with his training ahead of his over-61 boxing category campaign.
"The fights are over two three-minute rounds, we use headgear, bigger gloves and the referees are very conscious of our safety," he said.
"I train once a week until six weeks out from a fight, then I train pretty solidly on my own as I am self trained.
"During my early career I never touched weights, so I have kept that going and I have stopped skipping now too.
"I tend to do a lot of high-revolution stuff, footwork and things like that.
"The training is a big reason I love the sport. If you're having a bad day it can really help turn it around and it is a lot of fun to me."
More than 10,000 athletes are expected to flock to Adelaide for the Masters Championships between October 6 and 12, competing in a variety of sports.
"I think it is really quite special that they have this sort of event for old blokes like myself," Hall said.
"There's not too many blokes who compete in the boxing, so you get to know them pretty well, which is nice. As well as that, my family and I are going to drive to Adelaide as well, so it is a good chance for a holiday and to see a different part of the country."