Allansford premiership mentor Howard Sharp is preparing for his first fight – just nine months after joining Rodney Ryan’s Warrnambool gym.

The father-of-four, who also coached Northern Districts and played for Port Fairy, will compete at the Fitlife Boxing Cup in Ferntree Gully this weekend.

Sharp, 60, said boxing had made a positive impact on his physical and mental wellbeing.

“It’s been good for my mind, life seems to be working better for me I think,” he said.

“I retired from fishing. I had my own fishing business and it was just getting too much for me. I was getting a bit of anxiety. 

“It was too much on the mind so I sold all of that out and decided it’s about looking after me now and my kids, that’s enough now.”

Sharp, who will compete in the 56-60-year-old, 69-75 kilogram division at the masters competition, started going to Warrnambool 24/7 Gym and Fitness 12 months ago.

He was invited to train at Ryan’s boxing gym in January.

“I have always tried to look after myself and wanted to keep fit. I have four children, the youngest is 17. I want to stay young for them,” he said.

Sharp, who coached Allansford to the 1987 premiership, said Ryan quickly gave him something to aim for.

“He said ‘you should go in the masters event which is in September’,” he said.

“I have basically been training since January for this moment. I want to go down there and I want to win.”

Two of his gym mates, Wayne Clark and Bradley Rogers, will join Sharp at the Fitlife cup.

Clark will fight in the 51-55-year-old, 75-81kg section and Rogers has trained for the 34-40-year-old, 85-91kg group.

Clark, who trains up to four times a week and also schedules two running sessions, said he was prepared.

“I am feeling good about it, I am hoping to get in there and have a win,” he said.

Rogers’ aim is simple.

“Hopefully I am still standing at the end of three rounds,” he said.

“I had to lose a bit of weight but the weight’s come off. I've been training everyday, sometimes twice a day, running at night and eating healthy.”