1 on 1 with Lucky Punch

Michael Fortune (0:28)

It's your boy, The Fortune Teller, back at it again with another episode of The Fortune Affect podcast. And today, I'm not alone, I have a guest, and we're gonna get it in today.

First and foremost, let me introduce my guy, fresh off the Cambosis Jr. and Haney undercard. And if you don't believe me, go do your homework. My guy, give a hand for Luke Gersbeck.

Luke Gersbeck (1:01)

Yes, live and direct.

Michael Fortune (1:02)

Luke Gersbeck.

What's going on, Lucky Punch, the lucky team in the building? Talk to me, man, how's life? How are things, man?

Luke Gersbeck (1:10)

Life's good, life's moving very quickly. It's fun, I'm just about to go off to Europe this Friday.

Michael Fortune (1:18)

Nice, off to Europe, man. Let's give a round of applause to the boy going off to Europe.

Luke Gersbeck (1:22)

Go on to Europe, give it up for my dog.

Michael Fortune (1:25)

Much needed vacation. Much needed vacation. And I think that's a great, great point, man, because fresh off the Haney, Ken Bosa Jr. Undercard, well worth it trip after completing that fight.

Talk to me a little bit about the event, how it went. Just everything ends and outs, like I want the whole shebang, man. Talk to us about being on the Undercard, man.

Luke Gersbeck (1:50)

Just grateful from, I was telling you before, like from fight week up until the actual day, but like I was just grateful the whole time. It was such a huge opportunity and it was so big to me.

It meant a lot and I was just, yeah, saying thank you and just giving it everything. And the day couldn't have gone better itself. Like I'd relived that day for the rest of my life. That was good fun just being around that energy. Marvel Stadium, my first fight in Melbourne.

Michael Fortune (2:19)

Marvel Stadium, beautiful stadium, by the way. Beautiful stadium.

Luke Gersbeck (2:23)

I couldn't ask for much more.

Michael Fortune (2:24)

Yeah, at home, in front of your home.

Luke Gersbeck (2:26)

Yeah, first fight in Melbourne in three fights, man. I fought twice in Geelong.

And that was amazing too, but first one in Melbourne at Marvel, like, gave me over.

Michael Fortune (2:37)

And bro, your entrance, man, was so lit, man. It just described who you were.

Luke Gersbeck (2:41)

I was just enjoying it.

Michael Fortune (2:42)

Enjoying it, dancing, having fun. And then you had a delay in your fight, right?

Luke Gersbeck (2:47)

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We had a swing bout, so that meant the time slot wasn't set. So depending on the live broadcast, we might be moved. So I was ready by like 9.30. I got to the venue like extra two hours early, 7.30. I think got to Marvel and was warming up for like two hours. I was ready to go 9.30.

And then they came through and were like, oh, it's too late now. You're going to be last to cool down, take the shower, like go back upstairs. But that was a blessing then, because I went upstairs and I got a feel for the ring, got a feel for the arena and everything like that. So it kind of, you know, I got to see a lot of family and friends around, giving me energy. And that just, yeah, it just motivated me more. So went back, you know, chilled out and then wrapped my hands again, warmed up again. Same thing, same thing. And then got out there, finally took the buggy around the whole thing and got to the walkout entrance. I was just, saw myself on the screen. I was just like, yep, I'm here.

Michael Fortune (3:46)

As soon as you see yourself on the screen, that probably like, that moment like, yo, it's Tom. Like it's actually here. Like it's lights are on. Lights are on, man.

Camera's on. And you're no stranger to the camera.

Luke Gersbeck (3:58)

Lights, camera, action, man.

Michael Fortune (3:58)

Lights, camera, action, man. And what's the hell of a fight, man? Hell of a fight that ended in a draw, man.

Talk about like the, just not even being at the event, talking about, you know, you had the swing bout and got the opportunity to soak it all in because of that swing bout. And you're grateful for that because you think you got to get more, more, you know, adapted to your environment, being in Marvel and being, you know, amongst the likes and on that card and fighting the last fight that they even said, they said that was part of the most entertaining fight of the entire card. And there was a lot of fights and even the main, they were including the main event that your fight was that exciting. And a lot of people stuck around to watch your fight. But how did you keep your mindset so fresh and so sharp to be like, because I could see some athletes being, or not even athletes, just people being flustered that they get so early there, so early, prepared, ready for this fight. Next thing you know, swing bout, out of your control. Was training camp like a good building tool? Was your training camp any different for this undercard to allow you to have that mental capacity to just take it for what it was and embrace it?