Exclusive: Dylan Archer Ready To ‘let it all go’ In NZ Title Bout
New Zealand’s Dylan Archer aims to make a statement this weekend when he takes on Dane Edge in a 10-round contest with Archer looking to capture the New Zealand Professional Boxing Commission Super Welterweight title.
The heavy-hitting Archer is one of the latest prospects to emerge from West Auckland’s Peach Boxing gym, home to IBO Super Bantamweight World Champion Mea Motu and middleweight world title contender Andrei Mikhailovich.
Four of Archer’s five wins have come via stoppage, and he intends to continue his run of impressive performances as he aims to establish a name for himself in the Australasian boxing scene.
“I’ve got quite a few supporters coming out, and just the way that things have been going, I need to really win this fight and to make a good statement; I don’t want to win on points. I obviously want a devastating win. ” Archer said to Boxing Daily.
“I want to showcase all my skills, how tough I am and just what I’ve learned. I want to put it all in the ring and just let it all go.”
Archer’s professional debut took place in February of 2023, and he quickly earned himself a reputation as a must-watch attraction due to the ferocious intensity he brings with him each time he steps between the ropes.
Archer currently sits just outside the top ten in Boxrec’s New Zealand pound-for-pound rankings. He relishes the fact that, under the guidance of head trainer Isaac Peach, he is getting a steady diet of bouts, which is no easy feat in a country such as New Zealand, which does not have the pool of fighters available as, say, Australia and the UK.
” Being in the ring regularly, I feel like you absorb things so quickly, and you learn so much compared to if you have a fight, then you have a four-month break,” Archer explains.
“So, what Isaac is doing is keeping us busy and always getting us in the ring, and with all the work he does behind the scenes, we are improving so much faster.”
The sole blip in Archer’s career to date came in a loss to Fiji’s Winston Hall last November in Nadi, Fiji. However, Archer used the experience to reevaluate his approach to boxing and become even more focused and disciplined in learning his craft.
” I sharpened up pretty much the majority of how I trained. I’m always checking my guard; it just made me really check myself, you know, and how I’ve been training,” he explained.
“Just upping the expectations of the training and stuff like that.”
Archer’s first bout back following his defeat to Hall was a return trip to Fiji, where he stopped Jese Ravudi in the third round. In April, he followed his win over Ravudi with another stoppage win over international opposition, this time in the form of Thailand’s Duangden Saenlerd.
Archer has seen firsthand from his stablemates that New Zealand fighters can, with the proper discipline, work their way up the ladder to world title contention.
” We can all get to that level if we are committed and we make the sacrifices that are needed. We can all get there; having Andrei training for that undisputed match, seeing it right there in front of us, and being a part of it with Andrei really changes your thoughts on everything and pushes you a lot more.”
Scaling boxing’s heights can be long and winding, and each fighter’s journey is unique. There are no shortcuts, and standing behind every minute a fighter spends in the ring, are weeks of backbreaking preparation. Archer may only be in the opening chapters of his career, but he is already approaching boxing with the seriousness of a veteran.
“I think the balance between work and training is hard; it keeps me grounded and driven. It does get hard at times, but that just proves why I am doing that. Obviously, I have kids, I’ve got a fiancée, and I’ve got people that I need to support, ” Archer explains.
” If I didn’t have those things there that were making me work hard and making me push, I guess I would probably be a bit more laid back. Whereas now I’m not. I’ve got to work, I’ve got to bring in money, and I’ve got to train. It’s just something that I’ve got to do.”
Fans wanting to see Archer in action can view a ppv livestream at CSN.watch
