Boxing: Future of sport on show in our town (+video)

Rotorua will be entertained by the stars of the future when the region hosts the 2016 New Zealand Boxing Championships..

It may not grab the headlines of a Joseph Parker fight, or a Floyd Mayweather bout, but make no mistake, for the boxing purists in New Zealand the national championships remains a special event.

And 140 of the best amateur fighters from each boxing association throughout the country will converge on the Rotorua Energy Events Centre in July for the four-day competition.

It is where many of New Zealand's boxing stars are born such as Parker, David Tua, Shane Cameron and Daniella Smith.

Rex Jenkins, who runs the Central Boxing Club in Fordlands, and Boxing New Zealand supervisor Keith Walker are confident Rotorua will witness future international stars in the making.

"The champs really help boxers move up the ladder. It enables them to move up to the next level and really progress," said Jenkins. "A lot of top boxers have come out of this and there will be great talent on display in the ring."

Walker added: "This is the showpiece of New Zealand boxing.

"It is the cream of the boxers in the country from youth to elite.

"I see this event as a stepping stone into international boxing. It also acts as a gateway into the Olympics for many.

"There has been a huge success rate in the past, you can clearly see this by looking at current boxers and Rotorua is a great place to host."

The competition is being billed as the biggest boxing event in the city since 2009.

It is expected to be a more impressive spectacle than last year's, held in Invercargill last October, which unfortunately clashed with the world championships, which meant the likes of Commonwealth Games gold medallist David Nyika could not compete.

"It will be a brilliant spectacle, even for those who are not boxing fans," said Walker.

"There won't be the gruesome style of boxing on display, it will be more like the Olympic style of the sport, with lots of skill and scientific elements."

Divisions at the Boxing New Zealand National Championships include cadets (12-14), juniors (15-17), youth (17-19) and elite, with different weight classes in each division.

"I haven't yet decided on the final selection from my own gym, but I have a lot of talent to pick from," said Jenkins. "I'm sure the gym will perform well and our training in the run up will be very crucial.

"All the boxers are very aware that this is a huge opportunity for them and I want each and every one of them to grab this with both hands."