‘Anything is possible’: 23yo Canning boxer set to represent Australia in Paris Olympics

A family interest saw Yusuf Chothia enrolled in martial arts such as wrestling and kickboxing as a child but it was the release of the 2015 sports drama Creed that ignited a passion for the young athlete to pursue the sport competitively.

“The first scene where he was punching the wall,” he said. “I was like, I want to learn how to do that.

“I searched up boxing gyms near me and it was Synergy ... and I’ve been here ever since.”

It’s now been almost a decade since the 23-year-old first stepped foot in the Canning Vale gym and in a little over three months, he will don green and gold and fight for his country at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

“The goal was always to have 100 fights, go to the Commonwealth Games and go to the Olympic Games,” he said.

“I’ve had about 50 fights, so we’re about halfway there.

“It’s one of the dreams, it’s a pinch yourself moment, it’s super surreal.”

Chothia became the 2023 national champion after a points-based win over Tarique Hipertur at the Australian Elite Championships & Pacific Games qualification event.

He is set to represent Australia in the men’s 51kg flyweight division in Paris after qualifying late last year.

“I had three fights over a week,” he said.

“I broke my hand in the second fight, so I was boxing with one hand pretty much.

“For the first week, it didn’t feel like I qualified, it didn’t feel real.”

While Chothia had been lucky with his health, bar cuts or bleeding, he said the broken hand had been his worst injury so far.

“The hand has been a recurring injury, it got pretty severe at the Pacific Games,” he said.

“The first fight went pretty well but I felt the niggle a little bit.

“It does hurt but you’ve just got to push through I guess.”

In the lead-up to Paris, Chothia said his strict training regime would include morning weights sessions, cardio and evening boxing sessions, as well as multiple international and interstate camps.

And while Chothia is a three-time Australian champion, he said the nerves he felt before stepping into the ring never went away.

“They say if you don’t get nervous before a fight, you should stop fighting,” he said.

“If you didn’t get those butterflies and you didn’t get those nerves, it would be like going to the shops.

“It’s the best worst feeling in the world.”

For the young athlete, the journey to Paris is also one self-funded.

Chothia said while that created financial pressure, a public GoFundMe and the recruitment of sponsors meant things were “working out”.

“I’m currently not working because it’s a full-time gig training for the Olympic Games, it’s hard to work when you’re travelling so much,” he said.

“It has been a bit tough but I have a very supportive family behind me and a great team.”

His GoFundMe is still open to donations online.