Boxing: Lance O'Sullivan to fight Lazarus for a good cause

Dr Lance O'Sullivan is a late but welcome edition to the card of the Kaitaia Sport and Leisure Trust Charity Boxing Event which is being held at Te Ahu Centre on Saturday evening.

Well-known Kaitaia doctor Lance O'Sullivan will be putting his trusty stethoscope to the side and donning a pair of gloves for a charity boxing event at Te Ahu on Saturday night.

The former New Zealander of the Year is going up against Chaz Lazarus in what organisers expect to be major drawcard for an annual event being held for the fourth time.

Dr O'Sullivan has been more in the news lately for verbal sparring with people opposed to vaccinations.

He hit the headlines after disrupting the May screening of the film Vaxxed in Kaitaia, telling the audience their mere presence "will cause babies to die".

This weekend however, O'Sullivan would put words aside for the good of a local sports club, organisers said.

On behalf of the organising committee behind the fight night, Brendon Morrissey said the plan was to put all money raised towards both the newly formed Kaitaia Boxing Club and the Te Hiku Sports Hub project.

Other fights on the evening's card (subject to change) include, Alex Rawiri vs Mitchell O'Neill, JayJay Taylor vs Maria McLean, Rangi Ashby vs Sonny Le Noel, Trevor Marsh vs Sandy Hepi, Aige Kiro vs Floyd Chadwick, Anthony Lum vs Levi Owen, Patricia Vaka vs Tessa Tualevo, Sivan Hermez vs John Vake, Hilton Underwood vs Finn Higgins, Clarence Tillman vs Lui T'eo.

While the event has traditionally promoted local fighters and, to some extent, local rivalries, Morrissey noted there were three pro fights being contested this year including the Vaka/ Tualevo clash, with Vaka fresh from fighting at the Big Bash event in Auckland last Friday.

The main event will pit Tillman III against T'eo in a battle of the heavyweights. Tillman notably having fought both Shane Cameron and Sonny Bill Williams in the past (albeit well beaten by both including losing via a round 1 TKO against SBW).

Morrissey noted tickets had been selling like hot cakes but there were still seats left. He encouraged the wider community to come out and support another memorable, entertaining and historic occasion, adding a couple of corporate ringside tables had also just become available because of two late cancellations.

Proceeds from the evening fight fest will go towards establishing the newly established Kaitaia Boxing Club on Bank Street and also to the major Te Hiku Sports Hub project which is now underway.

The plan is to open doors at 5.30pm and the bar at 6pm, with the first round of bouts starting from 6.30-7.50pm.

There will then be a 20-minute dinner break, with the second round of bouts from 8.10-9.30pm, with another break before the final round of bouts estimated to take place between 9.50-11.10pm.

The night will be wrapped up with a social from 11.30pm to 1am.

* Tickets for the Kaitaia Sport and Leisure Trust Charity Boxing Event hosted by Kaitaia Boxing Club are available from the Kaitaia Boxing Club in Bank Street from 3-6pm from today until Thursday. Alternatively, email the club kbclub2015@gmail.com