Boxing: Boy boy just man for the job

Te Arahanga Takahi is known to by his family and mates as "Boy boy", but there is nothing boyish about what he does in the boxing ring.

The Murupara youngster is causing a bit of a stir in boxing circles, with his explosive speed and power.

At 14 years old, the Rangitahi College student has only been boxing for about a year and he has already picked up a North Island golden gloves title, in the under-54kg cadet open division.

It was no easy feat, he had to take on a class fighter, 14-year-old Bradley Jenkins, from the Central Rotorua Boxing Club.

Recently, Boy boy travelled to New Plymouth and beat the Australian cadet champion.

The youngster has another big fight coming up. In August, his club the Rotovegas Boxing Gym will send a number of boxers to the Australian Golden Gloves in Brisbane.

His coach Aaron Warren said the youngster was a mature boxer who showed a lot of dedication in his training.

"He always tries hard at training and when he isn't training at the gym he is doing extra training at home. He is very mature for his age, mentally tough and focused as well. Even the New Zealand coach has been impressed with what he has seen."

Boxing almost didn't happen for the Ngati Manawa/Ngati Tahu descendant. When his school was picking students to join the Ultimate Performance boxing programme, Boy boy missed out. But that didn't deter the him. He just turned up and trained.

"That's what makes him a good fighter, he's determined."

The Ultimate Performance boxing programme is run in 10 schools in the district with as many as 400 students involved.

Boy boy said he loved boxing and was inspired by several other students who have been involved in the programme - in particular, Aroha Sorenson and Roxaine Duff-Hackett. The two Murupara boxers were selected for the New Zealand boxing team for the world youth boxing champs in Serbia earlier this year, where they both won medals.

Boy boy told The Daily Post yesterday he was keen to one day compete at the Olympics but for now was focused on the Australian trip and the New Zealand nationals in Auckland later on in the year. "I want to win a national title."

The Year 10 student has an 11-3 fight record. The three fights he has lost are to Jenkins and Renick Dawson (two fights).

"I told my coach I wanted to fight them again. Renick has beaten me twice and I really want to beat him."

Boy boy, who fights in an orthodox stance, said he always tried to wear his opponents down by pounding their bodies to set them up for his hard and fast right hand.

He was nervous about his Australian fight but couldn't wait to get there to box.