Jaala Tomat's fighting fit and hooked on winning her third title belt

"I made a pact with myself that I would keep fighting until I wasn't scared anymore, but the joke's on me, I don't think the fear ever goes away," she said with a laugh.

"You just learn how to manage it, so now I'm hooked and we are here."

Growing up in Merimbula and going to high school in Eden, Tomat said it was a trip back to the district that got her set on the path after her boss asked her to run boxing classes alongside personal training bootcamps.

"I realised I really liked punching things, so when I moved to Melbourne, I wanted to learn how to do it properly, and when I got there, I realised there was so much more to it than what I thought," she said.

On March 27, within Powerhouse Theatre, a repurposed tram power station on the edge of the Brisbane River, Tomat will face off against the aggressive, undefeated 7-0 Beck Hawker, a former Australian, Australasian and Queensland champ.

Tomat said she was extremely excited for the opportunity to add another belt to her collection, having won the ANBF Australasian Featherweight Title, and becoming the Victorian State Women's Featherweight Champion, both in 2023.

"To add the third belt to the collection would be very nice," the 33-year-old said.

"There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears that went into the last camp, and the cut was pretty hard, so when I got the win for that it was..." she said before pausing, "...words can't describe how it feels."

"Well, there was no other option, I went through a lot, so winning was the only option."

Even after gruelling bouts, nerves remain, still filled with doubt until the referee raises a glove upwards.

"I had my professional debut in May 2022, and I was fortunate enough to fight in a No Limits show which is one of the best boxing promotions in Australia for my third fight against Shanell Dargan, who was everyone's favourite," Tomat said.

"There was a lot of controversy with the winning decision, so they gave it to her, but it was a bit of an upset and an uproar even in the crowd.

"So I'm always a little bit hesitant whether I'll actually win or not, just from that."