Gentle Geraldton giant Dan “De Lion” Carter to make boxing debut around 150kg

Geraldton is building a reputation for fighting public servants.

This time a well-known ranger is set to lace up the gloves for charity.

Dan “De Lion” Carter describes himself as a gentle giant who loves a joke, but it will be no laughing matter when he steps through the cage door in two months for his competitive boxing debut.

“I wanted to go the opposite of a tough name, something humorous,” Carter said.

“I’m happy to put myself on the line.

“Helping to help support disability awareness is great.

“I think boxing is great for mental health as well.

“I love what I do for a job and serving the community, and this helps with that.”

Carter, a 1.93m ex-UK Navy recruit weighing around 150kg, will face Kalgoorlie fighter Israel Kaipo at coach Paul Barrett’s Sheds n Homes Fists of Fury III event in April.

With size 15 feet and an ambigram tattoo that reads “what doesn’t kill me...” read one way and “...makes me stronger” the other, Carter said despite his fearsome appearance he knew the vulnerability disability could bring.

He said he had had to learn to walk three times and spent two years on crutches after being injured in Royal Navy training.

A qualified medic, security officer and bodyguard, he is also committed to training, dropping weight from 170kg to help with his fitness and mobility for the fight.

It’s a serious preparation schedule that involves getting up at 4am and training two-and-a-half hours a day, throwing thousands of punches in a week and taking just as many.

“And it’s all for six minutes in the ring,” Carter joked.

“It’s a very unnatural thing for anybody to invite everyone they know to come and watch them fight in a cage against a person who’s trained to destroy them, but that’s what we do and we love doing it.”

While some people might be keen to see a civil servant get punched, Carter was nominated for an Australia Day award in 2019 for his dedication to peacefully resolving problems on the job and his public approach.

Barrett said Carter’s progress had been rapid.

“Dan’s training is accelerating,” he said.

“He started over a year ago, just to shed a few kilograms.

“Now he’s fighting fit and ready for the ring.”

Fists of Fury III will feature Geraldton’s first cage fights.

The event will also feature the return of City mayor Shane “Stone Cold” Van Styn for his second competitive boxing match.

Van Styn’s debut was at Fists of Fury II in 2021.

Proceeds will go to disability organisation Access to Leisure and Sport.

Tickets are on sale; more information is available on Geraldton Boxing Centre’s social media, or call Barrett on 0447 979 046.