Mike Makatea-Leylander hopes to win two fights in one evening in Hamilton this Saturday.
Mike Makatea-Leylander hopes to win two fights in one evening in Hamilton this Saturday.
Assassins Muay Thai Gym practitioner Mike Makatea-Leylander will be trying to add another title to his resume when he competes in a four-man tournament at the 'Battle in the Waikato: Round 9' show in Hamilton on Saturday.
'Tha Muss' Makatea-Leylander, current amateur IKBF light-middleweight title holder, is entered into theWKA Central North Island tournament, where the two winners of fights earlier in the night will meet in the final.
They will be 76kg bouts contested in three rounds of two minutes at the Narrows Landing event venue on Airport Rd.
The big 21-fight card is being headlined by fellow Whanganui fighter Lee Kara, the Awa Kings Muay Thai Club president, meeting Dave Tuitupou for the WKA New Zealand K1 super heavyweight title.
Makatea-Leylander's other opponents in the tournament are Robert Tawere (Rhino Fight Club), Sam Watts (Warriors Muay Thai), and Jabez Collins (ROC Taupo).
Trainer and a former New Zealand cruiserweight champion Kyle Gallacher said they had been trying to get another fight before the tournament, but unfortunately two opponents had to pull out.
"He's been itching to get back in there."
Makatea-Leylander's last bout was the IKBF title victory over Porirua's Aaron Cole in a five-round bout at Springvale Stadium in March.
As well as conditioning, the key to Makatea-Leylander's chances, should he win the first bout in Hamilton, will be proper management of the down time between the two fights with rest and recovery.
Gallacher, who is a veteran of King in the Ring events where he fought three times in one night, will make sure the young man does "all the right stuff" to conserve his remaining energy.
"You've got to treat the first one like the only one.
"If you can save your shins and ankles, you do.
"He's got big hands and big hands are always a big weapon to have."
Kara has been preparing for his big championship opportunity since he won a title eliminator against Auckland's Tiasi Sheck (Arsenal ETK) at a fight card in Morrinsville in early June.
Wanganui Chronicle hopes to talk to both local fighters later this week.
