Fight Night: Ready to rumble

After more than seven weeks of blood, sweat and tears 26 of Rotorua's bravest men and women will put it all on the line when they step into the ring tonight for the Christmas with a Punch corporate fight night.

For many of them, it will be the first time they have done anything like this, and for a few who fought last year - Paora Te Hurihanganui, Bob Stiles and Gavin Porima - it is a redemption fight.

I've been privileged enough to help train this year's fighters - more in the way of a sparring partner for most of the men and some of the women.

Watching the way the men and women from all walks of life take on the challenge of preparing for tonight's fights, has been an interesting insight into how people handle the stress. Boxing isn't an easy sport - you are in the middle of the ring trying to hit some while they try and hit you back.

Most of the men have gone into the ring with the attitude throw the biggest hardest right hand or left hook and knock the guy out, end of story. Unfortunately unless your name is Mike Tyson or David Tua, the result usually ended with the new guy swinging like a rusty gate and tasting the leather of his opponent's gloves.

For the women it's been and emotional journey filled with confusion, tears and apologies. I don't know how many times in the first few weeks, I'd hear one of the ladies apologise because they had hit their opposite during a sparring session.

It's obviously changed now, the men look to work off a combination of punches to try to score a point, while the women have become these action heroes who throw punches and show little mercy when they are inside the ring.

As time has moved on, not only have body shapes changed but fitness, skill and attitudes have developed. In the first few weeks I had no problem jumping into the ring and sparring any of the fighters. But in the last week, I must admit I had some trepidation.

This year The Daily Post reporter Kristin Macfarlane has taken up the boxing challenge. She will take on Samantha Sandford. Both women have amazing skill and are equally matched. I'm sort of picking this fight to be one of the fights of the night.

Samantha is a southpaw (left handed fighter), while Krissy fights in the orthodox stance. Both women have fast hands and can throw punches with devastating effect.

They have both troubled their opponents when sparring and know how to take a hit.

Last week I was lucky enough to be at the Woodstock Fight for Life in Auckland and watched a titanic battle between TV presenter Hayley Holt and surfer Paige Hareb.

Holt was probably the more technical boxer of the two but Hareb had a huge heart - taking shots and firing back with devastating hooks. Neither woman backed down and continued to throw punches to the bitter end.

That's how I see this fight going.

Many of the staff in the office have asked me, "How will Krissy go?" To be honest it's too close to call. Both women have their strengths and it will come down to a simple factor - who is the fittest and who keeps their head and boxes for the full three rounds.

In fact that's what it will come down to for all 13 fights tonight.

Although no one likes to lose, some will raise their hand in victory, while the other ponders where it went wrong.

At the end of the day win or lose - the moment you step into the ring and the bell sounds you have won.

To the 26 men and women who will put the gloves on tonight. I leave you with this quote from Evander Holyfield.

"A champion shows who he is by what he does when he's tested. When a person gets up and says 'I can still do it', he's a champion."

Let's get it on!