Saturday night will be all right for fighting

They're mates in the political arena but come Saturday, National MPs Todd McClay and Simon Bridges will be in opposite corners of the boxing ring.
The two political young guns have got behind the Rotovegas Corporate Fight Night at the Rotorua Girls' High School Arena and are backing fighters from their electorate.
Rotorua Agrodome shearer Shane Harford will face off against Tauranga man and Leading Edge Telecom accounts manager Blair Robertson. Both men are first-time boxers and Mr Robertson said he was looking forward to putting his new-found skills to the test.
"I'm kind of excited, I'm not really knowing what to expect. Before I started this I would have given up. The training intensity pushes you to your maximum limits."
Mr Robertson said boxing had taught him he could do anything he put his mind to.
"Just the personal challenges, having a better focus on life and accomplishing things I've never done before. It's all about pushing yourself to the limit."
Mr Harford said he was roped into boxing by a couple of mates and thought it would be "a bit of a laugh".
"It's funny at the start you feel really unfit - but once you break into it, it's really cool."
The father-of-three said he was fighting fit and looking forward to his fight.
Rotorua MP Mr McClay said he was confident about the abilities of his Rotorua fighter going up against the Tauranga fighter. "People of Rotorua are fitter and tougher. Our man [Mr Harford] is the salt of the earth - a shearer, a man who has put it on the line."
Tauranga MP Mr Bridges said when he was asked by his political colleague to get involved with the charity event, he jumped at the chance.
"I told Todd I wanted to fight him - I'm fit and I was ready to fight. But now I have seen my fighter [Mr Robertson], I think he is looking fitter and tougher."
Mr McClay said he turned down Mr Bridges' offer because he had already beaten him recently in a debate about which city was better, Tauranga or Rotorua? "I didn't want to make him look like a sissy twice."
The event is raising money for training equipment for the Rotovegas Boxing Gym to help train troubled youth. Fighters will have their final weigh-in on the day of the fight at 11am but the event gets underway at 5.30pm with the first round of amateur fights starting at 6.30pm and corporate fights beginning at 7.30pm. Tickets can be purchased at Airport Motors or from The Daily Post office.
FIGHT CARD
* Tania Nisbet vs Aneta Morgan
* Paul Yerex vs Matt Warren
* Douglas Unuwai vs Nigel Johnson
* Blair Robertson vs Shane Harford
* Warrick Paul vs Andy Laidlaw
* Jennifer Galliott vs Penny Paignton
* Jeff Seo vs Justin Patterson
* Paora Te Hurihanganui vs Bob Stiles
* Steve Gardiner vs Dave Donaldson
* Koro Nikora vs Greg Taipari
* Gavin Porima vs John Kendal
* Bobby Ann Te Riini vs Emma McClintock
* Te Ururoa Flavell vs Lehi Hohaia