Ring masters put on stunner of a show

More than 1000 people packed Kawerau's Ron Hardie Rec Centre last night to see first time boxers take to the boxing ring to pit their fighting skills against their opponents.
The Fight For the Future was described by many as an entertainment extravaganza.
The event was organised to acknowledge the gang problems of the town and develop a concept to provide healthy lifestyle choices for youth.
Fight organiser Warwick Godfrey, a former gang associate, said Kawerau's entrenched gang culture was worth fighting against.
Mr Godfrey was the driving force behind the event.
First up on the night was a boxing exhibition tournament that pitted local community role models, including police, firefighters, rugby players and gym members, against Te Wananga o Aotearoa ki Kawerau sports students.
There were no winners or losers in these fights with both competitors being deemed winners.
"Te Wananga o Aotearoa ki Kawerau sports students are second chance learners, their backgrounds include, long-term unemployment, ex-gang membership, ex-prison inmates, solo parents and survivors of drug and alcohol abuse and domestic violence," Mr Godfrey said.
"Police are at the front line of Kawerau's social problems and are most often at the bottom of the cliff and viewed negatively by the community."
He said the exhibition tournament event provided opportunity for police to be involved in a preventative capacity and regain the local friendly face of community policing.

The night culminated in a celebrity triple tag team boxing match which included local identities Lotto presenter Russell Harrison, former Rotorua man Deon Muir and strongman Ruben Simanu.
They were up against Maori TV's Code presenters - Wairangi Koopu, Awen Guttenbiel and Karl Te Nana.
Harrison said it was a great commitment from the TV presenters to come to Kawerau and be a part of the entertainment.
"They are recognised throughout New Zealand and without the likes of Karl, Wairangi and Awen it wouldn't happen."
Guttenbiel said it was a cause he strongly believed in.
"It's important for our young people to realise there are other opportunities out there.
"That they don't have to turn to gangs to feel like they belong."
Although the six men came into the ring to a stirring haka performed by the students from the wananga, there was little aggression shown in the ring with the boys from Maori TV looking to avoid getting hit by the 130kg frame of Simanu.
The single eight-minute round went by in a flash with all the fighters spending more time chasing each other than actually connecting with their fists.
 
The winner was then decided by a push up competition with  the Code team taking the
honours.