Rotorua to host boxing nationals again

Boxing trainer Rex Jenkins said the Central North Island Boxing Association has stepped in to ensure this year's national championship goes ahead. Photo / Stephen Parker

The New Zealand Boxing Championships are coming round again pretty quickly for Rotorua.

The city hosted the national championships in July last year and it is unusual for the contest to be held in the same place two years in a row. This year event will be held at the Energy Events Centre, in September.

Rotorua Central Boxing Club owner Rex Jenkins, president of the Central North Island Boxing Association, said there was a real risk this year's championships might not have gone ahead had the association not stepped in to play host.

"It's very rare that an association gets to hold them two years in a row, but what had happened was no-one had put their hand up for 2017 and us being big mugs - we love all the work - we put our hand up to run them again rather than see the kids not get a New Zealand champs.

"But we want it known that we are running them not because of the senior boxers, but for all of the kids in New Zealand."

Jenkins said the event cost $66,000 to run last year but ran so well there were no plans to do anything differently.

With three trainers in Rotorua - himself, Aaron Warren at RotoVegas Boxing Gym and Mike Sykes at Sykes Boxing Gym - there was sure to be a good showing from local fighters, he said.

"That's three clubs just in the local area and the [Central North Island] association covers down to Gisborne and across to Taumarunui so it's a fairly big association. I wouldn't be surprised it we have 20-25 boxers from our association that will compete in the New Zealand Boxing Championships.''

One of the strongest local hopes for a title is Rotorua light heavyweight Tyson Sykes.

"If he does not turn professional then he will be an outstanding [chance] that he should, and could, win a Boxing New Zealand title."

Rotorua also has a defending champion in the female division, with Jenkins-trained Maea Hay currently holding the under-14 female cadet gold medal.

Middleweight Emile Richardson, 19, who is also trained by Jenkins and has been at the Rotorua Central Boxing Club since the start of the year, has been making waves recently.

"With another three or four fights under his belt before the nationals ... I think he could prove himself."

Fighting out of Sykes Boxing Gym, Tyson Corbett is another Rotorua fighter who could shine.

Last year's championships featured 80-90 bouts and Jenkins expects something similar in 2017.

The tournament will be supervised by Amateur International Boxing Association supervisor Keith Walker, from Matamata.

"He's done the supervision for some very big tournaments - with 300 plus bouts."

Jenkins expects the female championships to once again be strong.

"At our gym we've got seven or eight females and there's a number of girls boxing in Auckland - there's quite a few senior elite girls up there - and throughout the country there's a smattering. Last year there were six in one weight [division], which is quite a few for New Zealand."

The event will feature bouts for boxers aged 12 and upwards at all weigh divisions and takes place on September 11-15.