Boxing: Plenty of blood, guts tipped in league v rugby charity bash

By PETER JESSUP

A charity boxing stoush with former rugby and league stars on the bill is promising blood and guts but little in the way of technique.

Most bouts in the "Fight for Life"event in Auckland tonight look sure to start with both fighters moving to centre-ring, then slugging it out until someone drops.

At the weigh-in at Ellerslie racecourse yesterday, fighters from both codes admitted they were as nervous as they were before test matches.

Former undefeated All Black captain Wayne Shelford, who dropped 12kg to get to 121.5kg, predicted a draw with ex-Kiwis skipper Mark Graham.

"Mark and I are going to have a lot of fun."

Graham said he would be happy with that. "I don't believe the fans want to see people knocked out."

Wrong.

Organiser of the fundraiser for the Yellow Ribbon campaign aimed at preventing youth suicide is former Kiwi Dean "Cowboy" Lonergan, who on Wednesday night's Sky TV preview called Shelford "a big fat blimp."

Graham backed off from that yesterday.

Asked if he would have said it, Graham's response after meeting Buck shirts-off at the weigh-in was: "No. Would you?"

Would the fight go the distance - four two-minute rounds? "It should," Graham said. "I'm good on me feet, I'm going to use them. I'll be trying to stay out of his road."

Graham, 45, was in great shape before the challenge was issued. Shelford, 43, wasn't. Both reckon the old football injuries have all been re-surfacing during strenuous training. "How come the oldest blokes get to fight longest?" both were asking yesterday. The other bouts are set for three two-minute rounds.

Predictions: Frank Bunce versus Tea Ropati as bout of the night, the most evenly matched pair. Neither has fought before and both yesterday admitted to more butterflies than before a test match.

Peter Fatialofa as rugby's only other winner, over former Kiwi prop Ricky Cowan, in a close one.

The league boys to win the rest, fitness the telling factor.

Broken noses, black eyes, split lips aplenty. And handshakes all round afterwards.

It is a great cause. Graham, who has lost a son to suicide, has more motivation than most.

"I'm just so proud of these guys," he said yesterday.

The bouts are sanctioned by the NZ Professional Boxing Association and its referees and judges will govern the fights. Rules are a mix of amateur and professional, to ensure the safety of the combatants, most of whom have never boxed before.

The main Shelford v Graham bout will be of four two-minute rounds, the others are three two-minute rounds.

Amateur rules require headgear but prevent referees from talking to fighters. In these bouts headgear will be optional, subject to one corner accepting the other's proposal not to wear headgear.

There will be standing eight-counts, and no limit on them. The organisers want to see the bouts go to the end of the scheduled three or four rounds but don't want anyone hurt badly.

The event, at ASB Stadium in front of 3000 fans, is tipped to draw a live TV3 audience of over one million.