Caloundra’s Craig Hill Jnr was down and seemingly out, but he is now winning the biggest fight of his life.
The once-highly promising boxer essentially lost everything due to drug abuse, but he’s been clean for more than three years and is poised for a remarkable return to the ring.
The 33-year-old will collide with Brisbane’s Will Langford at the War of the Worlds Fight Night #4 at the Queen Street Hall in Caloundra on Saturday, in what will be his first bout in eight years.
It’s a huge milestone for Hill Jnr, as he caps his comeback from the brink.
He used to box to win, but the sport now represents so much more.
“I do it for the lifestyle, the health and fitness, and for sobriety from drugs,” he said.
“I just enjoy my boxing and training and sparring. I enjoy feeling that energy. It’s helped me to stay sober.”
Hill Jnr was one of the nation’s most promising fighters as a youngster, before his life took a downward spiral.
The Caloundra City Boxing Club member fought under the training of his father and club coach, Craig Hill, before getting guidance from ex-world title holder Jeff Fenech.
He claimed the Queensland super welterweight title and was in a drawn bout for the Australian super welterweight title.
He was unbeaten from 10 fights as a professional and only lost twice from 23 outings as an amateur.
“I was flying fit, super strong and competitive, but I had a lot of other stuff going on in the background,” he said.
“I made a few wrong decisions, and one of those decisions ultimately absorbed a good four-and-a-half years of my life.
Hill Jnr became a regular user of crystal methamphetamine, and the substance abuse took its toll.
He alienated his parents, his partner and his two young children.
“My family fell apart,” he said. “I dropped away from them.”
He lost his licence, his job and was homeless – sleeping rough on the beach.
“I was a junkie,” he said.
“I lived out of a backpack, travelling the train-lines and blasting myself with lots of methamphetamines.
“I started getting into trouble and I got stabbed at one stage. It was ugly.”
A new relationship, a change of scenery and a renewed passion for boxing helped him get back on track.
“I wound up befriending and becoming close to a beautiful woman, Tina,” he said.
“After a year-and-a-half with her and her kids, we decided to pack up and go away.”
They moved to Tin Can Bay and tried hard to clean up their lives.
“We took all the little steps that, in all honesty, we had to,” he said.
He said the escape from their previous lifestyle was “like getting out of Dodge”.
“We didn’t connect with anyone that associated with it.
“We had to lock ourselves away and start again – re-set.
“We defrosted … and I have not touched it (Ice) since.”
With time they healed, and they adopted a healthy and active routine.
“Each week turned into months, and the months turned into years,” he said.
“We both got stuck into fitness and I initiated training again as a daily routine.”
Hill Jnr reconnected with his family again, including his children Tyler, 13, and Layla, 10, who he sees once a fortnight, and for half of the school holidays.
“As you can imagine that wasn’t the arrangement a few years ago,” he said.
“My kids have got their dad back and life has been good.
“I’m learning to grab a hold of my own rollercoaster again.”
He also has consistent work, assisting his brother at the family business, Concrete Options, from Gympie.
Hill Jnr has even taken his health to a new level.
“I have chipped away at all the little attachments, like drinking and smoking, and now I’m even cautious of my sugar intake,” he said.
“So, I thought why not have a go (in the ring)? I can do it before I get too old and my shoulders or my wrists can’t hack it.
“I’ve fallen back into the passion of the sport that I used to do all the time.
“And I thought I’d see how I fare against some of the competition.”
A recent stint with Fred Brophy’s Boxing Troupe provided him with some momentum and now he’s eager to get back into competition.
His last competitive fight was in September of 2013.
“Who knows, if I enjoy myself and have a nice, competitive bout then I’ll probably look to fight in the pros again, just to make life interesting and to get a kick out of a healthy lifestyle.”
Hill Jnr trains at gyms in Gympie, Rainbow Beach and Brisbane.
He also trains at Caloundra, alongside his dad, who is delighted to have his son back.
“He spent a lot of years in the wilderness so to speak,” the experienced trainer said.
“He went really bad there on the drugs.
“We didn’t speak for at least two years.
“Now, he’s trying to resurrect himself and he’s a few years clean.
“It’s huge to have him back.”
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This weekend’s fight represents the start of a renewed stint in the ring, and there’s some potential he could go on with it.
“It’s a day-by-day situation with him,” Hill said.
“He’s got himself pretty fit and he’s in a good headspace.
“If he goes all right and he’s feeling good about himself, he might go back into the pros.”
War of the Worlds Fight Night 4
- Saturday, November 20, doors open 5pm.
- Queen Street Hall, 87 Queen St, Caloundra.
- Tickets via Oztix. VIP tables call 0412034636.
