If Harry Garside’s overwhelmed by the recent public adulation, the Olympic Games bronze medallist isn’t showing it.

In fact, the gifted boxer remains the same knockabout bloke he’s always been.

Despite winning seven national championships, as well as gold in the men’s 60kg division at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the Victorian-born pugilist won many Australian hearts with his dogged determination in the ring in Tokyo last year.

“It’s been an interesting eight-nine months since the Olympics,” he said.

“I’m the type of person who if any opportunity comes my way, I’ll always try to grab it with both hands.

“At the moment, I am just enjoying the ride – and having fun.

“No-one can really prepare you for the fame.

“The only people who knew me before the Olympics were my parents,” he added with a laugh.

“But, I’m loving every second of it.

“At the same time, I’m making sure I know exactly who I am – staying grounded, staying humble.

“It’s so crucial to have the right people around you.

“And, that’s where I’m lucky.

“Take my coaches Brian Levier and Johnny Lewis.

“They’re both in their late 70s, however they’ve got a wealth of knowledge and been through it all.

“So, I’m grateful to have such a good team around me.”

For the time being, Garside is focusing on his next assignment, defending his Australian lightweight title against Layton McFerran.

The two will go head-to-head at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre on Wednesday 11 May.

“I’m absolutely stoked,” he said.

“It’s a quick turnaround – my last fight was only a fortnight ago.

“So, it is going to be five weeks between bouts.

“However, I’ve always wanted to fight in Newcastle.

“The atmosphere when someone like Tim Tszyu fights here is amazing.

“The crowd really gets into it.

“I understand why everyone calls it Tszyucastle – Kostya boasts a strong history in the area with seven fights.

“Tim’s continued that legacy, too.

“He speaks so highly of the town.

“Don’t forget, for Tim and Nikita (who is fighting on the same card), it’s only the start of their respective careers.

“They’ve still got a few years ahead of them and, possibly, more bouts in Newcastle.

“Hopefully, from my perspective, we can make this a regular occurrence as well.

“It’s unreal up here – and the people love boxing, which is the most important thing.”

Garside admitted his rival on 11 May was a bit of an unknown quantity.

But, he’s ready for the battle.

“I don’t know much about him, apart from his 5-1 record,” he told the Newcastle Weekly.

“Layton’s from Tasmania, so he’ll be as tough as nails.

“Every Tasmanian I’ve fought has been hard.

“I’m sure he’ll be no different.

“Besides that, I haven’t been able to see much footage of him either.

“However, I’m determined to defend my Australian title.”

As for his long-term goal, Garside hopes to be fighting for world titles in about two years.

“At the moment, I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing,” he said.

“This (11 May) will only be my third pro bout.

“So, I need to build my record up to 15, play my trade, and really learn the art of professional boxing.

“Then I’ll look to go international, win world titles and bring them back home, and pack out stadiums like Newcastle.”

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