Auckland Fans Always Loved Heavweights

Heavyweight fights have always created great interest in Auckland and the Monte Barrett–Shane Cameron match will be no exception.

Looking back over the years in Auckland boxing, the heavyweight fighters were always the great draw cards. The bigger men in the light heavyweight division, and heavyweight division, were always in demand. I went to many fights in Wellington also, and it is well known they favoured the smaller, more skillful fighters like Rex Redden, Manny and Joey Santos and Toro George.

Back in history many of the great heavyweights fought in Auckland. Tom Heeney and Morris Strickland were world rated New Zealand heavyweights and travelled the world to seek fights. They would take off from Auckland by ship and fight in far away countries like South Africa, U.S.A. and England. That was in the days when it took six weeks to travel to England. The ships were all equipped with great gym’s so the boxers worked out, and used to run around the deck in the early hours of the morning to keep in shape.

Morris Strickland fought several men who fought the great Joe Louis, and some of his opponents were Jack London, Larry Gains, Arturo Godoy, Walter Neusel, Bob Pastor, Johnny Paycheck, and Lee Savold. All these opponents were top class world Heavyweights.

Tom Heeney did get a World Title fight in 1928 when he met the American Gene Tunney. He fought a courageous battle in New York and went eleven rounds with one of the all time great heavyweights. Tom also fought many opponents of world standing including Jack Sharkey, Max Baer, Phil Scott, and Johnny Risko. He fought a couple of tough fights in Auckland in 1923 before heading to London and then South Africa.

World class fighters came to New Zealand to fight also. The Alabama Kid spent a lot of time in New Zealand and Australia and fought Morris Strickland at Palmerston North in 1940. Morris, in my view was one of our most under rated fighters, and was in the late 1930’s, in the top ten in the world as rated by the great American Ring Magazine. A top ten rating in the 1930’s was a mighty high honour, unlike today’s world of multi titles.

During the 1930’s Carlaw Park in Auckland was a great venue for boxing and wrestling matches, but was used more for boxing in the 1950’s and 1960’s when the big outdoor shows took off and boxing was booming here.

Tuna Scanlan a British Empire Champion and world class middleweight was pulling in the crowds with overseas opponents brought in for him, and the bigger boys Kitione Lave, known as the “Tongan Torpedo,” Johnny Halafihi, George Mahoni, Sonny Pehi, and others were all having big open-air fights. Chuck Woodworth, a Morman Missionary from Utah in the United States, Eddie Cotton, a World rated fighter, Mike Holt from South Africa and Ken Brady from Australia were all commanding lots of newspaper coverage in the two Auckland Papers of the day.

Kitione Lave started his sensational run at the Auckland Town Hall in early 1950’s and quickly ran out of opponents, as he was knocking them over too quickly. He soon moved on to open air fights at Carlaw Park before he departed to England for some big pay days. He soon shocked the boxing world when he knocked out Don Cockell in two rounds. And Don Cockell had gone nine rounds with Rocky Marciano in San Francisco.

When he beat Chuck Woodworth at Carlaw Park, a huge crowd turned up. Crowds of up to 16,000 were not uncommon in those times.

Eddie Cotton was one American light heavyweight who was a huge success out here.. The fans loved him and he spent a lot of time in Auckland. In his day back in The U.S. he was feared by all and it was said he was really the uncrowned world champion as top boxers were loathe to tangle with him. The Mayor of Auckland Sir Dove-Meyer Robinson was always first to welcome Eddie and was always at ringside to see his matches. Eddie had six matches in Auckland and was unbeaten here.

New Zealand had a history of great professional fighters back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s like World Heavyweight Champion Bob Fitzsimmons, the great Maori athlete Herbert Slade, who fought the great John L. Sullivan in a World Title match and countless others.

Bob Fitzsimmons was World Champion in three weight divisions, a great achievement for a fighter who was tall and gangly, and carried the punch of a sledge hammer. The former Timaru fighter has a Statue in his honour in Timaru which was commissioned by Sir Robert Jones, a huge boxing fan himself.

Lance Revill thrilled the Auckland fans when he jumped in to the ring at Western Springs to face up to Muhammad Ali in 1979. Muhammad had asked for any one to step in the ring with him, and Lance did not hesitate at his great chance. Muhammed was out here for an exhibition with Joe Bugner and Jimmy Ellis

Young Sekona was another Tongan boy who thrilled the Auckland fans and they tuned out in huge numbers to see this boy fighting.

Jimmy Thunder (Peau) fought a World Title match out here when he lost his crown to English great Johnny Nelson. Jimmy had won a World crown in Townsville, Australia, which was a W.B.F. Crown.

Craig Peterson a New Zealand born Australian came out here to fight Jimmy Thunder, and Young Haumono was another top heavyweight who travelled the world.

I have only scratched the surface of the great heavyweights who fought in Auckland.

Many great amateur heavyweights fought in Auckland. David Tua stands out as well as Michael Kenny, Bill Kini, Paea Wolfgramm, Kevin Barry, Henry Akinwande, Jimmy Peau, Junior Fa, Kipa Tesefa, Garth DaSilva, Faii Falamoe, Bob Gasio, Paula Mataele. Frank Creagh, and our most recent great prospects Joseph Parker and Patrick Mailata.

Famous All Blacks who also were boxers in the heavyweight division were Brian McCleary, Kevin Skinner and Wilson Whineray, not forgetting Sonny Bill Williams.

Alex Tui---Brad Vocale--Soloman Haumono
Alex Tui—Brad Vocale–Soloman Haumono