Jordan Laruccia Ready To Make A 'Statement" at Thunderdome 45

Jordan Laruccia will headline Thunderdome 45 this Friday when he takes on Indonesia's Wellem Reyk

It has been six months since Perth's Jordan Laruccia last competed, but the wait is almost over for the rising Australian star. Laruccia will return to the ring this Friday night when he takes on Indonesia's Wellem Reyk in the headline bout of Thunderdome 45 in Perth, Australia.

Reyk will be Laruccia's most experienced opponent to date, and he is looking forward to lacing up his gloves and stepping back into the ring in front of what will be a packed-out crowd at Metro City.

"'I'm very keen to get back in there and start moving around again," Laruccia says.

" I did have a bit of a break after that last fight I had at the back end of last year. So yeah, I'm getting refreshed, excited, and ready to start off strong and make a bit of a statement."

The Australian scene is currently thriving, especially the super welterweight division. Laruccia currently holds the 13th spot in the local rankings, and a fight against an opponent such as Reyk will be the perfect opportunity to showcase his development as a boxer.

"He can put me on the right trajectory to fight guys that have a lot more experience and guys that are a step up, " he says.

"I feel like in terms of how hard the fight is going to be; I don't expect it to be much different from the Fano fight, but in saying that as well, experience does play a big part. So I just have to be cautious in there, and hopefully, if all goes well, make a bit of a statement this time."

While Laruccia is targeting even bigger fights further down the line, he is not taking Reyk lightly. A single misstep in boxing can significantly set a fighter's career back months or even years, so Laruccia's sole focus this week is on getting his hand raised come Friday night.

The Big Rig trained Laruccia may be the favourite, but it does not mean he can afford to be complacent against an opponent who has over 50 fights to his name.

"It's one of those things where, like, with experience, you sort of have to stick to the game plan. Being a fighter with the experience that I do have, I can't just go out there all guns blazing and trying to get him out quickly.

"Obviously, if the opportunity does arise and I do see gaps or any holes, I'll take that to my advantage, but [I will] just go in there and execute the game plan as best as I can. At the end of the day, you never know what he's going to bring. "

Laruccia is still working full-time, and his success so far in the pro ranks is a testament to his discipline and dedication to his craft. The life of a pro boxer is never easy, no matter where in the world you are from, but Laruccia, who has recently received warm praise from former WBA light heavyweight World Champion Danny Green, knows that the investment he puts in now could pay huge dividends in the future.

"Boxing can be very similar to running a business, " he says.

" Say if you run a trade crew or whatever, you can take that business as far as you want to go. If you just want to be a local small business, stay within that category, and be happy to make the profits of what a small business would, then that's great. But if you want to expand out of those limits and grow to do something massive, then it's up to you to decide whether you want to do it or not. So you are your own boss in that way."

Laruccia may still be in the 'start-up' phase of business, but his aspirations are to take his skills to the utmost limits. This Friday night, he will look to continue climbing the ranks of world boxing as he headlines what should be an exciting night of fights for fans.

"Thunderdome is always known for really entertaining fights and for guys who give it their all in the ring. So yeah, it'll be a great one to watch."