Northland's Kahukura Bentson has taken another positive step towards his goal of joining New Zealand's boxing contingent at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, in New Delhi.
The Whangarei-based 31-year-old, originally from Kaitaia, fought at middleweight (69-75kg) against Tauranga's Joe Ottesan, as part of the Chris Martin Promotion at Auckland Boxing Association last
week, and won on an unanimous points decision. The win followed another successful hit out against rugby and league legend Inga Tuigamala's son Jordan, at Auckland earlier this year. "It was not my best performance but it was a good blow out," Bentson
said about his recent bout.
"Joe was always moving and counter-punching so I had to stay on my front foot and be the attacking boxer."
While Bentson fought Ottesan at middleweight, the NZ representative at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games hoped to be selected as a welterweight boxer for the New Delhi Games during October.
He will fight in the welterweight class at next month's North Island Golden Gloves.
Currently, Bentson is ranked the No 4 welterweight in the country. To qualify for the Commonwealth Games in October he needs to win his division at the NI Golden Gloves tournament from May 29-30, win his division at the New Zealand Golden Gloves Tournament in July, plus he needs to win gold or lose to the gold medallist by no more than three points at the Oceania Boxing Tournament.
The Whangarei-based health and fitness trainer is taking it one step at a time.
He is focusing on the NI Golden Gloves at Rotorua, where he will face tough competition, including No 3-ranked welterweight Ricky Murphy, from Auckland.
The current No 1, Christchurch's Bowen Morgan, will contest the South Island Golden Gloves a week before the North Island tournament, and will be hard to beat in the deep south.
Bentson was hoping to get one more bout in ahead of his Golden Gloves campaign.
