BOXING: Australian boxer Daniel Lewis has delivered a polished performance to defend his 75kg title on the Gold Coast, and further cement his chances of making it to the Rio Olympics next year.

Lewis fought three strong rounds to see off promising Queenslander and former junior World Champion, Clay Waterman.

“Last time I started a bit slow, so I had to work hard and catch up,” Lewis said.

“I’ve had some bad luck in my boxing, but I feel 2016 is going to be my year. I’ve got more boxing brain to my style now.

“I used to just come forward with my guard up, and take a lot more punishment than I needed.

“I’m just boxing smarter now.”

Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Joe Goodall, successfully defended his Australian super heavyweight title, but not in the way he would have planned.

Both he and his opponent, Kris Tersievski, were treated for head wounds after an accidental head clash in the opening round.

The bout continued, but the referee had to eventually call the fight off in the second round when doctors were unable to stem the bleeding from Tersievski’s wound.

The judges deemed Goodall was in front at the time, giving the big Queenslander his third consecutive Australian title.

“It was a sloppy affair, but a win is a win,” Goodall said.

“You’re only halfway through a round, so you’re never too sure how the judges are going to see things.

“It’s been tough this year, especially with the glandular fever, I haven’t really been 100 per cent since then.

“I’m getting there, but recovering from the training sessions is probably the hardest part now.”

World Championship boxers Josh English (49kg), Jayden Hansen (56kg), David Biddle (64kg) and Jason Whateley (91kg) all successfully defended their national titles.

There were also wins Sudanese-born Western Australian, Fano Kori in the 69kg, fellow Western Australian Alex Winwood in the 52kg, and Victorians Mathew Sheehan in the 81kg, and Harry Garside in the 60kg.

The gold and silver medallists in both the men’s and the women’s competitions will box off again in Melbourne next month to earn selection to the next stage of the Olympic qualifying cycle.

If the gold medallist from the Australian Championships wins again in Melbourne they will qualify for the next stage, but if they lose the two boxers will have to box for a third time to decide the winner.

Ross Solly for Boxing Australia