The twenty year old has put his hand up…just one of them – literally.
The promising youngster has trained with just the one hand in readiness for his Queensland title shot with Mark Ramirez on the TGW & Smithy Bring the Big Fights 14 card.
Spark has been plagued with injuries to his right hand for nearly nine months now. He fractured it in his victory over Dan Beverley on January 29, once he recovered – he re-injured it in training – the diagnosis severe bruising on the bone and ligament damage with strict doctors orders of no use for 6-8 weeks.
Despite all of the above he didn’t miss a training session and has prepared for his State title bout using just his left hand.
“When you want something as bad as I do, you’ll sacrifice anything,” Spark said.
“It was pretty simple, while I couldn’t use my right hand that didn’t mean I couldn’t use my left, that didn’t mean I couldn’t run, that didn’t mean I couldn’t swim, that didn’t mean I couldn’t do weights.
“If there is a will there is a way. I told my trainer Brendon Smith I could prepare one handed and I vowed and declared to him I would leave no stone unturned to win this Queensland title.
“A huge thanks to Brendon for sticking by me and believing I could do it despite the injury.
“His belief gave me extra confidence and we both vowed win lose or draw the hand injury is no excuse.
“If I lose this fight you won’t hear me complaining about how an injured hand cost me – we have no excuses come October 22.
“It’s been about doing everything right.
“I feel I’ve done that and hope I get rewarded on October twenty two.
“I haven’t fully tested my right hand but I will on the night.
“We haven’t risked it in training or sparring because there has been nothing to gain.
“On fight night I have everything to gain so I will throw my right hand and I will throw it without fear.
“If it breaks, it breaks – it won’t stop me.
“I’m so determined and mentally strong Mark Ramirez could cut my right hand off at the weigh in and I would still be throwing it on fight night.
“I’ve put so much into this one and so has my trainer manager Brendon Smith so no amount of pain or injury will stop me.
“It’ll be all worth it if I’m crowned Queensland champion.”
Spark’s resilience and will to win has impressed his trainer-manager Brendon Smith. The duo has worked together since Spark was 14 years of age, now they prepare for the biggest challenge thus far.
“Steven Spark has shown the hunger, desire and sacrifice that I’ve seen in World champions,” Smith said.
“Despite setback after setback with his right hand he hasn’t complained once – in fact he’s been the opposite.
“He’s just gone about business as usual.
“In a perfect world do I wish we didn’t have to have an entire preparation without the use of his right hand – of course I do, however we have no excuses, it is what it is and we find a way.
“When you see a young man training with a cast on his right hand you know he’s hungry.
“This young man is very hungry and he has an amazing will to win.
“He’s a pleasure to train and be around.
“This is what our fight night’s are all about – people see the action in the ring and see stars born.
“What no one see’s is the sacrifice behind the scenes.
“Steven Spark deserves to win the State title on October 22, but what you deserve and what you get in sport can often be too very different things.
“Mark Ramirez has been to the top of mountain, he’s won a State title, he’s experienced – he’s cagey and I know without a doubt he will try exploit any weaknesses he thinks Stevie might have in that right hand.
“What ever he throws I’m confident Stevie has the answer plus more.” Smith said.
Is it not a little ironic if Steven Spark wins the Queensland title on October 22 – he will have one hand raised as the victor…he should be well trained, after all this whole prep he’s only used one hand.
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