Austin Peay was ready to rumble on Saturday night as former Austin Peay student Tyler “Short Fuse” Tomlin returned to the ring at Dunn Center to keep his undefeated record intact.
Tomlin (13-0, 9 knock outs) was the main event of the night with his opponent, Charlie Serrano. They were scheduled to fight ten rounds, but Tomlin and Serrano only went for two electrifying rounds until Tomlin secured a second round knock out of Serrano.
“Anytime I can get into a fight, use my defense, not get touched, and stop all the body shots in the second round I feel great”, Tomlin said when asked how he felt about his second-round knock out.
Boxing is not a well-known sport, especially in a small town like Clarksville. Saturday’s events were especially exciting because Tyler was not only able to bring together other boxers from all over to this event, but he was bringing it to a place where he has history.
Getting to the Dunn Center was not an easy road. Tomlin had at least a dozen opponents turn him down when they were asked to get in the ring with him.
“I have such a good knockout ratio and my career is moving at such a fast pace and they see where I’m headed. They’re turning me down, especially a fight in my hometown, because they’re coming into hostile territory and fighting a guy that can really hurt them and knock them out. That’s not something they want to do.”
He also gives a shout out and thanks to Charlie Serrano for taking the fight.
A graduate of Sycamore High School in Cheetham County, he has had a whole community behind him since the start of his journey. The Dunn Center was packed with members of the community, local celebrities, family and his biggest supporter of them all, his sister Kirsti.
Kirsti is a junior in her second semester of the nursing program here at Austin Peay. “Austin Peay is like my second home. Of course, Ty is my brother, but he’s also my best friend so I’m excited to watch him fight here. I’ve never missed a fight.”
While Kirsti is attending Austin Peay for nursing, she hopes that she does not have to use her skills for any serious injuries while he’s boxing.
“It’s crazy to watch your brother in the ring and it can be scary.”
“This is a hard sport to be supportive of,” says Tomlin “A rough sport for what goes on in the ring, the training, the time it takes away from everybody else.”
“The commitment it takes from not only yourself but your team which involves your family they’ve been nothing but supportive even in hard times,”
Tyler is being looked at for the 2022 Prospect of the Year Award in boxing. The Prospect of the Year Award goes to a fighter who has the potential to be a big star in boxing.
