Packing a punch at NZ champs

GLOVES OFF: Khadyn Kahukiwa-Kora and Tyla Kahukiwa-Larby represented East Coast Boxing Association and Patu Tahi Boxing Club with pride at the national championships in Whanganui. Picture by Paul Rickard

Khadyn Kahukiwa-Kora and Tyla Kahukiwa-Larby . . . remember those names.

Te Kaupapa Māori o Nga Uri a Maui Year 10 student Khadyn won gold and Gisborne Girls’ High School prefect Tyla silver at the Boxing New Zealand national championships in Whanganui.

Khadyn, 14, and Tyla, 17, are members of the Patu Tahi Boxing Club under head coach Kim-Maree Larby and coach Rob Kora.

They represented the East Coast Boxing Association at the New Zealand championships — one of 19 associations in attendance.

Both are in their fifth year in the sport and this was their third consecutive national champs.

Khadyn fought in the cadet (12-14yrs) male 62 kilograms class.

Tyla was the only competitor in her division but rather than accept the title unopposed, she chose to go up a grade to junior (15-16yrs) female 57kg.

The Patu Tahi pair faced opponents they had never fought before.

Khadyn’s bout against Christchurch’s Max Calvert was his 21st while Tyla’s fight with Hawke’s Bay’s Renee Doole was her 16th.

Khadyn, the 2021 North Island Golden Gloves champion, said his goals for the nationals were “to have fun . . . and (win) a gold medal”.

Tyla said: “I wanted to get back in the ring after breaking my left wrist in training last July. That fight at the nationals was my first since June of last year.”

In front of a crowd of 200 fight-starved fans at Jubilee Stadium, Tyla came up against Doole, a much taller and heavier opponent, over three two-minute rounds scored by five judges.

Larby said Tyla was technically sound and every punch she threw had good form.

Tyla worked hard to try to counter Doole’s reach and get inside but said she “knew that Renee had won”.

“But I was proud of what I did.”

Larby said Khadyn boxed extremely well against the technically astute Calvert — a South Island Golden Gloves champion for the past three years.

Khadyn did everything that was asked of him, she said. His head movement was great and he effectively used his left jab to “counter the counter”.

“I knew I won round one and round two, but I was tired in round three,” Khadyn said.

“When I won I was stoked inside but I didn’t show it on the outside.”

Larby said they went into the nationals with high expectations and the pair performed extremely well.

The effects of Covid-19 were noticeable.

“The first two days at Whanganui were slow,” she said. “The stadium was quiet and there was “ring rust” among the majority of competitors.

“By day three, everyone was excited and back in full boxing mode.”

Khadyn and Tyla have plenty more to come, including the Young Guns 10 at Nabby’s Boxing Gym in Hamilton on May 14 and the North Island Golden Gloves in Taupo over Queen’s Birthday Weekend.