POWER: Rotovegas Boxing's Matua Parkinson, left, produced a dominant performance against Oliver Bristowe at the Central North Island Boxing Championships on Saturday. PHOTO/BEN FRASER
POWER: Rotovegas Boxing's Matua Parkinson, left, produced a dominant performance against Oliver Bristowe at the Central North Island Boxing Championships on Saturday. PHOTO/BEN FRASER
With selection for nationals on the line, boxers at the Central North Island Championships had plenty of motivation.
The annual championships, held at Rotovegas Boxing Gym on Saturday, saw 70 amateur boxers go head-to-head in 35 bouts.
Rotovegas owner and head trainer Aaron Warren said it was an "awesome" nightof boxing in front of a big crowd.
"There were a lot of novice boxers on show, it was the first fight for a few of them.
"Most of the clubs were applying the basics - the fighters were doing all the basics right," Warren said.
He said the event was a chance for local boxers to try and win a title or qualify for nationals.
"Most of the winners qualify [for the New Zealand Boxing Championships], they will definitely be looked at. It's up to the boxer and their coach, as well as [Central North Island Boxing Association president] Rex Jenkins - he'll also be a part of that selection process.
"The Rotorua fighters did the best they could, we had some wins and losses, but at the end of the day nobody got hurt, that was the main thing. It was a good experience for them.
Central Rotorua Boxing Club's Kahu Rangiawha, left, fights Ben Jenkins at the Central North Island Boxing Championships on Saturday. PHOTO/BEN FRASER
Warren said one of the standout boxers on the day was Rotovegas Boxing's Matua Parkinson, who knocked out his opponent in the first round.
"It was a good fight, Matua executed the basics well."
Parkinson's uncle, and namesake, played rugby for the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand Maori and New Zealand Sevens sides.
"He's got the Parkinson family blood in him... he'll definitely go to nationals, he's had six fights and five wins now.
"He's getting stronger every time."
The New Zealand Boxing Championships will be hosted by the Central North Island Boxing Association in Rotorua for the second consecutive year this September.
