Michael Herangi-Helg wins vacant New Zealand light heavyweight boxing title over Joshua Tai

Michael Herangi-Helg won the New Zealand national (PBCNZ version) Light Heavyweight title against Joshua Tai at Alexandra Park, becoming the first light heavyweight champion in four years.

Michael Herangi-Helg has won the New Zealand national light heavyweight title against Joshua Tai at Alexandra Park, becoming the first light heavyweight champion in four years.

Herangi-Helg (Ngāpuhi/Waikato-Tainui) took on veteran Joshua Tai for the vacant New Zealand Light Heavyweight title. Herangi-Helg is undefeated since making his debut in 2022, winning three of his five fights by stoppage.

Tai is a veteran boxer and while his record does not reflect his pedigree, he is one tough opponent. Since debuting in 2009, Tai has fought many credible opponents, including former IBO World champion Blake Caparello, former WBO ranked boxer Gunnar Jackson, Pro Box NZ champion Francis Waitai, former top 10 ranked Jerome Pampellone, and many more in his 15-year career.

Round one started with the pair feeling each other out before Tai began to hold Herangi-Helg and hitting him behind the head. Herangi-Helg stayed composed and Tai continued with the same tactics in the second round, managing to land some clean shots.

Round three continued in the same vein but Herangi-Helg had by now found his rhythm and began out-boxing Tai, landing a number of clean and effective combinations.

Herangi-Helg turned up the heat to another level in the fourth round and knocked Tai down twice. Tai was knocked down one more time before the referee stopped the fight, awarding the fight to Herangi-Helg by TKO, 2:40 into the fourth round. Herangi-Helg was then crowned the first Light Heavyweight New Zealand champion in four years, the last being Zane Hopman, who won the Pro Box NZ version of the title in October 2020.

What next for Herangi-Helg?

As he fluctuates in the Light Heavyweight (79.4kg) and Super Middleweight (76.2kg) divisions, he has plenty of opponents in New Zealand before needing to go overseas.

On the undercard, Thomas Dei-Davison took on Alex Taulaki in both of their professional boxing debuts. Dei-Davison won the fight by fourth-round stoppage, an impressive beginning for his pro boxing career.

The event was another great night for boxing promoter Bruce Glozier.

WaateaNews.Com