It is a tough road to travel, but Far North boxer Kahukura Bentson is on track to reach his goal of qualifying for the welterweight division at the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Originally from Kaitaia, the 31-year-old has already fought at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games as a light-middleweight before
the division was scrapped, and at the 2006 Games in Melbourne in the middleweight division. After being knocked out of medal contention in his early bouts at both Games, Bentson now has a point to prove in welterweight company.
"I am going for welterweight this time around. I'm currently 72kg now and I sit in between welterweight and middleweight ... I'm a small middleweight (69-75kg) and a big welterweight (64-69kg) and I would rather be a big welterweight [at the Games]."
As well as dropping a few kilos to reach his ideal fighting weight, Bentson needs to win several tournaments to qualify for the Games, which will be staged in New Delhi, from October 3-14.
He needs to win his division at the North Island Golden Gloves tournament in May, followed by a win at the New Zealand Golden Gloves Tournament in July and a gold medal at the Oceania Boxing Tournament, or a loss to the gold medallist by no more than three points.
It's a hard ask, but Bentson, who has won 126 of his 164 career bouts, knows what is involved and is training hard in Whangarei, having recently relocated to work as a health and fitness trainer.
After the New Zealand Championships last October, Bentson was ranked No1 in the country, but dropped back to No4 when he lost to Daniel Parkin at the New Zealand Trials for the Commonwealth Cup in January. Christchurch boxer Bowen Morgan went on to win the division, and is the man to beat in the welterweight ranks, Bentson said.
Bentson recently fought in a middleweight bout at the Inga Tuigamala Promotional Boxing Tournament in Auckland, against Tuigamala's son Jordan. Bentson won 40-27, but it was not an easy bout, he said.
"Jordan was quite a challenge. It was a good, hard-fought bout and it has given me a confidence boost."
He is trying to organise some bouts at tournaments in Auckland before the North Island Golden Gloves tournament.
