Boxing: Battle for suicide prevention

Damon Tamati, left, and Caine Tawhai ham it up in the build-up to their bout on Saturday night. Photo / Duncan Brown

It's only natural the expectations will be high when Damon Tamati steps into the ring at the Battle for Life Charity Boxing event in Hastings on Saturday night.

The Hastings-based Heinz Watties "can technician" is the son of Kiwi rugby legend Kevin Tamati, best known for his sideline fight with Aussie prop Greg Dowling after both players were sent to the sinbin during a 1985 test across the Tasman.

"I leave that sort of stuff to Dad. But he has given me a few training tips like not to get hit and try to move," Tamati said while opponent, Flaxmere College and William Colenso College traditional Maori arts teacher, Caine Tawhai, was within earshot yesterday.

"I'm fighting to support the kaupapa, the prevention of suicide in Hawke's Bay. I want to help as many people as possible to talk about suicide, have somebody to talk to and encourage family and friends to teach everybody more and more about the stress out there in the community," Tamati, 39, said.

A former rugby player and basketballer, Tamati, has also dabbled in martial arts but his fight with Tawhai, one of 11 on the card in the Hastings Sports Centre-hosted and Hastings Pak 'N Save-sponsored event will be his first taste of boxing. Like Tawhai, 39, Tamati, has been training for eight weeks.

"It has been awesome the way all of us fighters have supported one another. My trainer [Todd Wilson] has been great too.

"Hopefully I can utilise and not brutalise his advice," Tamati said.

When the father of a 3-year-old daughter was asked what he believed his biggest strength was Tamati, who is likely to weigh in at 90kg, 10kg less than Tawhai, replied: "The vocal support from my whanau. My sister is due to have a baby during the next week or so ... she might get excited and have it on the night," he joked.

Tawhai, a long-time supporter of the annual event, will also be boxing for the first time in the bout which is scheduled for three two-minute rounds. The Patrick O'Brien-trained Tawhai has a background in martial arts and rugby.

"I've been struggling a bit with my training because of whanau commitments," the father of three boys aged 14, 12 and 10, said.

"Like Damon I'll be relying on the support of whanau to encourage me and help compensate for the lack of training."

While O'Brien and his wife Theresa, who organise the annual event, have been asking Tawhai to fight for a while he didn't hesitate when he heard this year's charity, The Key To Life Charitable Trust, would benefit.

"I've experienced suicide in my job.

"We need to help our rangatahi realise suicide is not an option," Tawhai said.

Both Tawhai and Tamati intend to continue training after the event.

"That's also what this kaupapa is about ... having an active lifestyle," Tawhai added.

The feature bout will see Flaxmere-raised Sydney-based kickboxer Chris Johnson take on Whanganui's James Griffiths.