With 24 well-known locals ready to step into the ring, many for the first time, the Certified Builders Charity Boxing Event at the Turner Centre in Kerikeri on Saturday night sold out weeks beforehand.
At the completion of the 12 fights, which ran from 8pm to midnight and kept the packed house well entertained, event organiser Karen Laurie said the affair could only be described as a massive success.
"It was a brilliant, brilliant night, thanks to the stars of the night, the boxers. Many had never boxed and took this on with enthusiasm and dedication," she said, noting many had wanted to do this as both a challenge and to fight for the cause.
This in turn had created a real buzz within their wider Far North communities leading up to the nights.
Among the comments by the mostly 'novice' boxers as to the reasons they were having a go were, "Sounds like a blast!", from Johnny Sherry; "To get way out of my comfort zone and for my mum who died two months ago," Brent Strathdee; "The bucket list!" Roger Moore; and, "My boss told me to," Sean Laybourne.
The card included two women's fights but no main event to speak of as there was little separating each bout in terms of audience interest. Matt Iorangi (whose comment he was doing it because, "It's a great cause", was echoed by many of the participants) and Ben Howell set the tone for the evening, a brutal heavyweight clash getting proceedings off to a rip-roaring start; the bout between Tracy Graeme, a paramedic from Kaitaia ("Always wanted to and now that I'm 40, thought I'd better do it this year"), and Barbie Wihongi drew some of the loudest cheers of the night; Mark Todd ("Mid life crisis") proved the most convincing winner over Top Energy workmate Gairn Robertson; while the fight between Clem Armstrong and Miles Boyer Toto concluded the evening in fitting fashion with flurries of fists flying throughout.
All fights were judged by officials from the NZ Boxing Association, while St John staff from throughout the region acted as waiters and beverage dispensers. Other highlights saw Kerikeri St John officer Nick Scott donning an 'interesting' outfit recalling the 80s disco era (and to which it will hopefully return), Pete Gentil from More FM proving a professional, versatile and entertaining MC ("He was just fabulous, kept everything going ..." said Laurie); while a bevy of glamorous ring girls drew the requisite cat-calls from the cheap seats.
The success of last year's charity boxing event, which raised $8,000 for Pilates Pink and Steel Cancer Trust, saw the demand from local businesses to get on board this year's event - with proceeds being presented to local officials from the St John organisation next week - going off the richter well beforehand, said Karen Laurie.
"We sold it out weeks ago, there were not enough seats to go round," she said.
She has been fielding requests from many wanting to see the event cemented as an annual fixture. The list included those current sponsors pledging future support, others businesses seeking to secure the rights for the highly-prized ringside tables, and have their employees, no doubt the more stroppy ones, get in the ring at upcoming fight fests.
Karen said the main praise for the evening's overall success could be shared by the fighters, organisers and volunteers with many coming from within the ranks of the Bay of Islands and Far North Certified Builder's Associations, the benefactors, St John, and the Turner Centre.
"Their input was just crucial to the night's success," she said.
The full amount raised for St John was yet to be confirmed but a cheque was expected to be presented to local officers from the organisation early next week. Watch this space.