GEORGE Rose has a simple message for Wollongong fans ahead of April's heavyweight showdown between Paul Gallen and Lucas Browne: get there early.
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Gallen's April 21 bout with former WBA titleholder Browne at the WIN Entertainment Centre is obviously the main draw, but the domestic bouts on the undercard have insiders salivating - particularly co-headliner Liam Wilson.
The 24-year-old Queenslander is arguably the most exciting prospect in Aussie boxing and will put his 8-0 record on the line against Perth's Francis Chua (8-1-1) in the co-main event.
Since the fight was announced earlier this month, fellow world-rated super-featherweight Kye McKenzie (21-2) has been added to the card, taking on Brisbane-based Tanzanian Bruno Tarimo, while noted crowd-pleasers Jack Brubaker and Lenny Zappavigna will also feature.
Wollongong super-middleweight Tyler Sargent-Wilson will fly the local flag and NRL prop-cum-boxing promotor Rose said he's just as excited by that prospect as the main event.
"The card we've got lined up for Wollongong is unreal," Rose said.
"There's some really good match-ups and some local guys on the card and then in the main event... I love heavyweights. For me I'm keen to see that one and how it all pans out.
"The [WEC] is perfect for boxing. Wherever you are sitting in that venue you're still right on top of the fight. The match-ups are really good and I know we're going to see some great fights."
It'll be George and brother Matt Rose's second regional pay-per-view card in the space of a month, with Newcastle hosting Wednesday's bout between Tim Tszyu and two-time world-title challenger Dennis Hogan.
Tszyu has made no secret of his desire to clean-out Australia before taking on the world scene and Rose said it's a mission that's brought a long overdue focus on the domestic scene.
"It's been hard work but we're at the point now where we've got the platform to put on big shows like this and give fighters the opportunities to fight on a big show," Rose said.
"Last year with the two stadium shows we were the only country in the world having stadium and arena shows with crowds. There's a lot of great fighters coming through who benefit from the platform that's been created by Timmy Tszyu.
"Providing that opportunity for everyone is important to us because there's been so many great Australian boxers over the years who probably just didn't have the platform here at home to be able to get to the levels they could've got to.
"I still don't think we're at the level we want to be, we want to keep growing, we want to keep building the sport across Australia and provide these platforms for these next guys coming through. If you want an opportunity, come and put on a good show and you're going to get it."
It may not be a one-off, with tentative plans in place to host up to four televised fights a year in Wollongong depending on the response to the Gallen-Browne card.
"It all depends on how this one goes," Rose said.
"It's the first time we've ventured into new cities like Newcastle and Wollongong. For us it is about getting to those areas where people want to watch sport and be a part of it.
"Being a country boy myself I know what sport is like for country towns. Newcastle and Wollongong are a lot bigger than country towns but they've still got the same country values and love their sport just the same.
"The fights we've got on this [Newcastle] card are fantastic and Wollongong is going to be stacked as well. The reaction so far in Newcastle's been great, if tomorrow night goes great here, we'd love to come back.
"We put on good boxing cards and if we get the response we're hoping to get [in Wollongong] we'll definitely come back. I love the venue, I love the area, if everything works out we'll definitely be back."