Eddie Tofa is remaining positive, despite the setback. Photo / Bevan Conley
Eddie Tofa is remaining positive, despite the setback. Photo / Bevan Conley
The Covid-19 Delta outbreak has caused the upcoming New Zealand Amateur Boxing Championships in Whanganui to be pushed back until January.
It was originally planned for October 5.
Organiser Eddie Tofa said while the original date was still some time away, ongoing uncertainty around the outbreak meant it was saferto hold the event in the new year.
"It was important to make a call as soon after Friday's announcement as possible," Tofa said.
"We have to be in level 1 to go ahead, and even if Whanganui goes down, Auckland will probably still be stuck in some sort of lockdown anyway," Tofa said.
"At this stage, there's nothing on in Whanganui around that time, so we told all the associations that they should be able to rebook their accommodation.
"There's been a lot of rebooking all around."
The event will still be held at Jubilee Stadium.
Tofa said one good thing to come out of the postponement was the chance for more Whanganui boxers to enter the championships.
His son, 132kg Steelform Whanganui prop Viki Tofa, was already on his radar.
"I'm trying to convince him to come back. He said 'I'll have a think, Dad'.
"Viki represented New Zealand in boxing when he had just turned 18. It's in him. He's a pretty fit boy as well, but he's rugby fit at the moment, not boxing fit."
There were two others, Jessie Malcolm and Majre Apiata-Cook, who he'd love to have in the team as well, Tofa said.
