Latta after revenge in boxing rematch

Sue Latta will be thirsting for revenge when she meets Aucklander Danielle Smith for the national super welterweight women's professional boxing title in Auckland on May 6.
Latta, pictured right, from Featherston, and Smith, fronted up to each other on the under-card of a David Tua promotion about 12 months ago, with Smith being awarded a somewhat controversial points decision.
Never one to make excuses for defeat, Latta does admit she was "pretty gutted" at the decision, believing Smith had won the first round of the four-round contest, the second was almost even and Latta herself had the better of the last two.
"I thought I had done enough to win, but there's no point in going into it too deeply," she said, "Once the decision is made that's it."
For Latta that particular fight was only her third overall and her first since 2002, while Smith, a former national amateur champion, had been competing on a much more regular basis.
The May 6 bout will be over six two-minute rounds, and Latta is optimistic the extra two rounds will be in her favour.
"I was definitely finishing the stronger last time we met, and hopefully that will be the case again," she said.
At the same time, however, she is not under-rating Smith who has a reach advantage because of her greater height and who is technically sound.
"She (Smith) certainly has experience on her side and that's something which is always a plus," Latta said. "I really do believe I can beat her, but it won't be easy."
Just a fortnight after the Smith bout Latta will put on her other hat and head off to the Thai world kicking boxing championships in Thailand, where she will double as a competitor and manager of the 35-strong New Zealand contingent competing there.
Latta will be participating in the super welterweight division there, a class in which another Kiwi, Karen Lynch of Christchurch, placed second last year.
Lynch has gone down a weight for the 2006 championships, but the defending champion, a Swiss woman, is sure to be amongst Latta's strongest rivals.
The fact she will be competing in such a major kick boxing event, so soon after her boxing clash with Smith, is by Latta's own admittance not ideal, but she says it would have been harder for her had they happened the other way round.
"It's easier to add things in as you do in kick boxing, rather than worrying about doing something you can't do," she said. "It would have been nice to have another couple of weeks to get right back into the kick boxing mode, but it shouldn't be a big hassle."
Latta can already look back on a second placing at a world kick boxing championships, and she is enthusiastic about her chances of getting on the victory dias this time round as well.
"It's a tough division and there will be huge competition but, yes, I'd like to think I can make the top three," she said.
A third hat will be worn by Latta immediately on her return from Thailand as she will then turn her attention to preparing for a world kick boxing title fight with against an English woman. Again she will need to change tactics, as unlike Thai kick boxing, this fight will not allow for any kicking below the waist or using the knees or elbows. "It's a lot more restrictive, but I'm sure I can cope," she said.