Steve ‘Stevie’ Spark, AKA ‘The Viking’, is one of the strongest fighters to come out of Australia in recent years. Having turned professional at just 18-years-old, Spark is an example of a boxer who thrives in the toughest conditions imaginable.
A self-described “proud Toowoomba boy”, Spark has successfully represented his hometown and country on the local and international boxing circuit, separating himself for his dogged spirit and unflappable demeanour in the face of more well-known and extroverted opponents.
As Spark and Australian boxing reel from a recent split decision loss to Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela – a result which Spark defiantly called “corrupt” due to a last-minute adjustment to the judging panel – let’s step into the ring and get to know one of Australia’s most tenacious young fighters.
In this Stevie Spark Story…
Stevie Spark Quick Facts
| Name: | Stevie Spark |
| Age: | 26 |
| Date of Birth: | 24 September 1996 |
| Nationality: | Australian |
| Height: | 5 feet 9 inches |
| Weight: | 70 kgs |
| Net Worth: | $300,000 (estimated) |
| Instagram: | @steviespark – 13.2k followers |
Who Is Stevie Spark?
Steve ‘Stevie’ Spark is a professional Australian boxer who competes in the super lightweight division. As a professional athlete, Spark has been performing for 8 years since debuting at the age of 18. Spark hails from the rural Queensland town of Crows Nest, which is located just outside of the city Toowoomba, where he is currently based.
Stevie Spark’s Boxing Career
Early Career
Despite the reluctance of his parents, Stevie Spark was encouraged in his early teens by a friend to give boxing a go and began training at a local recreation centre. Eventually, as he started to take the sport seriously, Spark moved from Toowoomba to train at the town’s PCYC (Police Citizens Youth Club), and then to Smithy’s TGW Gym – leading him to working with his current longtime trainer, Brendan Smith.
Smith, a Toowoomba-based boxing promoter and local celebrity in the sport, took Spark on at the age of 13 and led him through his amateur fighting career. Spark’s amateur boxing career deviated from the traditional route taken by fighters, as he only entered the ring for 38 fights (with 25 wins and 13 losses) before turning professional just a few weeks after his 18th birthday.
A winner of an Australian title and a Golden Glove in his younger days, the highlight of Spark’s junior years would be a 2012 Australian boxing tour of England and Wales. Touring alongside then up-and-coming Australian boxers Nikita Tszyu and Skye Nicolson would prove to be a critical learning experience for a youthful Spark, who reminisced on the period in an interview on the YouTube channel Mo’ Boxing, No Problem, saying, “That’s what the amateurs are for; to build your pedigree.” In the wide-ranging interview speaking about Spark’s career thus far, The Viking would go on to add that his toughest competitor at junior level was in fact fellow Aussie Liam Wilson.
Professional Boxing
Spark entered the professional boxing circuit just as he entered adulthood – a milestone not many can attest to sharing with the man nicknamed The Viking. An 18-year-old Spark would make his professional debut on October 31, 2014 against Kyle Teer, and would impressively win by technical knockout (TKO).
In just his second fight, Spark would travel to China to take on Chinese fighter Baishanbo Nasiyiwula in a bout he would eventually lose on scoring. Reflecting on the fight years later, Spark – who still retains his belief that he’d won the fight in spite of the scoreline saying otherwise – showcased his signature Aussie humour by jokingly warning: “Don’t fight a Chinaman; in China; on Chinese New Year!”.
The result against Nasiyiwula would prove to be formative for Spark, as he proceeded to become a local hero and a feared presence in the Australian boxing world with a sensational 11-match unbeaten run. At the same time though, Spark was working a day job serving beers and entertaining locals at a hockey club in Toowoomba for just $25 an hour to support his career.
Spark Steps Up Against Tszyu
A crunch moment would arrive in Spark’s career when the Toowoomba local was unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight to take on fellow Aussie Tim Tszyu, going from relative unknown to fighting one of Australia’s leading boxers with just a week to prepare. Spark’s call-up was triggered by Tszyu’s original opponent, Michael Zerafa, pulling out of the fight, making way for Spark – a former dual IBF Australasian Super Lightweight titleholder – to earn the biggest payday of his career to that point, a whole new legion of fans, and sponsors itching to put their money behind the hometown hero.
With just seven days’ notice, Spark took on the daunting task of fighting outside of his weight division against the then number-one ranked super welterweight fighter – a stark contrast to pulling beers in the relatively small-town of Toowoomba. The match caught the attention of local and international audiences and earned Spark the opportunity to showcase his talent to the world.
Though he punched well above his usual weight division, Spark was outmatched by Tszyu. In spite of the loss, the fight against Tszyu opened up plenty of doors for Spark to be able to successfully sustain himself as a boxer and to get his name known to a wider audience. And while he did not win the bout, Spark came away with a renewed drive to seize the world title in his usual division. The loss prompted Spark to express at the time that his confidence was still well intact, even after the round three knockdown, telling ABC:
“I am still going to win a world title. I know I will win,” he said.
“I haven’t lost in the last six years, so it is not a feeling I enjoy. I said to [my trainer] Brendon: ‘This isn’t ever going to happen again’.”
Stevie Spark Vs. Montana Love
Having emphatically defeated former world title challenger Apinun Khongsong in mid-2022, Spark was then tasked with taking down current IBF North American light welterweight title holder, Montana Colton Love. Taking place at Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, the match turned into a spectacle that left the boxing world in awe, and the wrestling world impressed.
Spark, fresh from three back-to-back victories, was excited to take on an American fighter in tough conditions away from the comfort of home. With the crowd ardently behind ‘Pretty Boy Love’, Spark broke out of his opponent’s control in the first round to knock out Love via a fiery combination in the second round. Love recovered, and the fight was inching back in his favour before an inadvertent head butt opened a cut over Love’s left eye in the sixth round, leading to a brief stoppage.
As the fight resumed, Love forced Spark onto the ropes and incredibly flipped the Aussie over the top rope and out of the ring, a move referee David Fields saw as enough justification to disqualify Love and bring the fight to an end. The crowd jeered the controversial decision which brought Love his sole loss of his career so far, booing Spark as he celebrated the win over the ropes.
Speaking to Sporting News post-fight, Spark revealed that he and coach Brendan Smith had envisioned the fight being decided by emotion, saying, “Brendan said the man who keeps his cool the best in this fight, who keeps his head screwed on, will win this fight.”
Stevie Spark Vs. Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela
Spark’s victory over Montana Love left him in a position to accept the biggest challenge of his career thus far: taking on Mexican star Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela for the WBA intercontinental super lightweight title in front of 50,000 fans in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico.
On the card ahead of the blockbuster Canelo Alvarez vs John Ryder fight, the Aussie displayed plenty of grit and boxing ability as the two pushed all the way until the 12th round, prompting boxing promoter Eddie Hearn to Tweet after the final bell: “Two absolute warriors! How you got it? I have Spark edging it.”
The praise was well earned, particularly as Spark had recovered from a sixth round body shot to put in a convincing performance well away from home. By the end, The Viking had landed a greater number of power punches over his opponent, landing 176 to 86.
Though many watching the fight believed that Spark had done enough to secure the title, the judges saw it differently, awarding the victory to Valenzuela via split decision 96-93, 94-95 and 95-94️. Speaking to foxsports.com.au, Spark slammed the judges’ decision and claimed local officials attempted to “switch the referee before the fight”.
“You’re messing with people’s lives. Incompetent, corrupt whatever it may be, you change someone’s life. You’d like to see these people held accountable,” Spark stated.
“I was a bit upset for about an hour, but you have to just pull yourself together and go again. I should have got him (Valenzuela) out of there, but I’ll come again. This won’t affect my career.”
Why Is Stevie Spark Nicknamed ‘The Viking’?
In a sporting world filled to the brim with audacious nicknames, Australian boxer Stevie Spark has become known as ‘The Viking’. Despite Vikings being associated with a much colder climate than Australia’s notoriously scorching conditions, the moniker largely derives from Spark’s Scandinavian roots.
Having initially been nicknamed ‘Lightning’, Spark was inspired by former Australian professional boxer and fellow Toowoomba local Michael Katsidis’ iconic entrance to the boxing ring. Katsidis, a two-time interim WBO lightweight title-holder, would adorn a Corinthian helmet in his ring walks to pay homage to his Greek roots; and Spark was a keen observer.
In acknowledgement of his Scandinavian heritage, Spark enters with a warlike clap and drum chorus taken from the introduction given by fans of the Canberra Raiders rugby league team to their players as they enter the field. Spark cites the feeling of walking out to a “huge crowd doing the clap” as being the best possible motivation before heading into enemy territory where he looks to “leave with nothing and return with everything” from his international fights.
Stevie Spark Career Stats
Across his nearly ten-year professional career, Stevie Spark has established himself as one of Australia’s most unrelenting fighters. Since debuting in 2014, Spark has accumulated a record of 16 wins, 3 losses and 0 draws. The Viking has knocked out his opponents a total of 14 times, and has only been knocked out one time against Tim Tszyu.
Stevie Spark Personal Life
In many ways, Stevie Spark is an innocuous, down-to-earth every man whose typically easygoing nature belies his deeply-embedded drive and ambition. Although he’s a proud Toowoomba local, Spark has always had a vision for something bigger than the world around him, even if he ultimately feels right at home in the Queensland town.
Even as some have doubted his commitment to boxing, Spark has gone on to prove his prowess in the sport and is grateful to have the opportunity to be paid to fight, going so far as to call it “bloody awesome” in a 2022 interview. Furthermore, Spark has always sought to acknowledge the journey that has led him to this point, and has paid homage to his past by having a lightning bolt tattooed behind his right ear as a reminder of his early days being known by the moniker of ‘Lightning’.
Though he tends to keep a low profile in his hometown, Spark was embroiled in legal drama at the age of twenty-one after an incident that left a fellow fighter unconscious outside of the ring. The situation was sparked when the victim goaded Spark about his current girlfriend, who the man had previously met up with for coffee. As the conversation moved outside, Spark attempted to walk away from the man twice before unloading a series of punches to leave the victim blacked out and bruised in the gutter.
A remorseful Spark would be quick to apologise to the victim the next day, before finding himself charged by police for assault and eventually, pleading guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm. The situation appeared to leave Spark shaken as he acknowledged his own misconduct, saying, “I’m terribly sorry and remorseful for all of this and it will never be happening again.” Spark would be forced to undergo 12 months probation and to complete 120 hours of unpaid community service in 12 months.
In mid-2023, Steve unfortunately sustained two fractures in his hand, which undoubtedly posed challenges in his day-to-day life. Despite this setback, he remained resilient and continued to celebrate significant milestones, including the birthdays of both his significant other and his son, Hudson. Amidst the festivities, Steve announced that he and his partner were expecting another child, due in October, adding an extra layer of excitement to their lives. As the year drew to a close, Steve expressed his gratitude to his sponsors for their support throughout his endeavors. However, the challenges persisted as Steve faced a third fracture, ultimately leading him to undergo surgery to rectify the issue with his hand. In January 2024, he made the difficult decision to bring his illustrious 10-year career to an end, simultaneously announcing his transition into the real estate industry, embarking on a new chapter.
Steve Spark Training Regime
Whilst Spark predominantly spends his time training under his coach of 13 years, Brendan Smith, at Smithy’s TGW Gym, he has become known for his unique training strategies in the lead-up to his fights. In a video published by Ace Boxing Group in early 2022, Spark took a camera crew to the mountains and showed his routine of uphill sprints and heavy rock-throws, taking advantage of the Australian outdoors to improve his conditioning.
Stevie Spark Relationship History
Professional boxer Stevie Spark has been in a relationship with his now fiancé, Emmy Angelique, for several years. The pair, who recently became engaged after Spark proposed on a beachside holiday following his tough loss to Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela, also have a child together.
Stevie Spark Net Worth
Australian fighter Stevie ‘The Viking’ Spark has an estimated net worth of $300,000. Spark has built up enough of a standing in the boxing world to earn his money through doing the sport he loves. For an Australian boxer to secure enough sponsorship to sustain their career is tough, but despite losing to Tszyu, the attention and respect earned from the fight allowed Spark to take his career to the next level with sponsors backing him. An example of this was seen ahead of Spark’s fight against Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela where the Aussie announced that his boxing shorts were sponsored by Havokk.