Doling out a Hebrew hammering

JEWISH fighter Tali Silbermann is the new WBC Victorian Muay Thai bantamweight champion after winning by unanimous vote in Parkville on Friday night.

For someone who has only been fighting a little less than three years, the title is undeniably the greatest achievement in Silbermann’s brief career.

“This is definitely the highlight,” Silbermann said.

“Winning this belt is all about the years of training, living in Thailand, all my hard work.”

Speaking to The AJN after receiving her championship belt, Silbermann was vague on the details of the bout, something she says is a professional hazard.

“I don’t really remember much about the fight,” Silbermann said, laughing.

“My trainer Don (Millar) told me to see what she was offering and to just keep kicking her leg.”

“I’m more of a technical fighter so it wasn’t the cleanest fight; my opponent is a big puncher so I locked her up in the clinch and tried to tire her out.”

Known in fighting circles as “The Hebrew Hammer”, Silbermann stayed true to her nickname, pummelling her opponent, Nat Edwards, with her deadly limbs, honed in Thailand and Australian gyms.

“I won by unanimous points, so every judge thought I won every round,” she said.

“I did get a nose bleed in the fourth round but it wasn’t as bad as Nat, who I kicked quite a few times in the face so it was pretty mangled after the fight.”

“Edwards put up a great fight but I was ready for her and I’m stoked.”

Silbermann’s victory came as the result of her relentless training program at SupaFight Gym with trainers Millar and Oneal Ortega and she acknowledges the belt wouldn’t be hers without their help.

“I’ve got a big support network, from trainers to family to sponsors,” she said.

“This result gets me a lot of recognition and puts me up with the top fighting girls in Australia, so the sky’s the limit right now.”

The Hebrew Hammer will fight in Perth in four weeks and Sydney a fortnight later, keen to continue her best season to date.

ADAM BLAU

Photo: William Luu

https://www.williamluu.com.au/