The state’s first all female promotion JSMT: Crown will be holding its first show at the Shoppingtown Hotel in Doncaster on Saturday, and locals Reese McMaster and pro-debutant Jacqui Agius are set to feature on the card.
McMaster, 19, is looking to build on her second pro win earlier this year, achieved on another all-female show on the Gold Coast in March.
The Echuca fighter will take on Western Australia’s Sarah Kwa in a mirror match of technicians.
“(We're expecting) a very technical fight,” Muay Thai Lab director Tracey Tran said.
“Sarah is very much a traditional Muay Thai stylist.
“Reese is typically aggressive, pushes forward and Sarah actually likes to fight from the back foot, so it'll be interesting to see.
“Reese just needs to close the gaps and not allow the space for Sarah to throw (the strikes) she normally does.”
McMaster’s attacking, pressure-based style is known in the sport as muay khao, a style taught and utilised over a successful career by Muay Thai Lab head trainer Kiw Eikkasit.
Also on the card is a rather unique pro-debutant, mum of four Agius.
Agius began training martial arts in 2019 alongside her daughter, switching her focus to Muay Thai in 2022.
She has fought regularly in the amateurs and originally planned to turn pro last year, but was held back by injury.
“(Jacqui) has had similar fight experience to her opponent in terms of being in the ring, but her opponent's fight experience has all been pro, whereas Jackie's has been amateur,” Tran said.
“They're probably very similar in a lot of ways that they're both not overly technical. Jacqui has a lot of power, she's physically very strong and aggressive.”
Doors open for the JSMT: Crown card at 5pm, with the first bouts to begin from 6pm.
The event will also be streamed via the Streems platform.
Tran said both women were phenomenal representatives of the local community.
“Reese is an inspiration to the younger generation within the community, in terms of commitment and discipline and representing us,” she said.
“Then you've got Jacqui, the mum who, despite everything else that she has going on, her dream was to turn pro, and she's finally reaching that now.
“Being a female myself, knowing how male dominated the sport is, it's not very often that women get the opportunity to be highlighted on this level.”
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