In over a century of New Zealand Amateur Championships this years Nationals are in Auckland. This is the tenth time the Nationals have been staged in Auckland. ( Have included Glenfield venue as Auckland.) The first championships were held in Christchurch in 1902, with only a break for the war years between 1940 and 1945. It was 1907 before the first NZ Champs were staged in Auckland.
Aucklander’s who have featured prominently at the New Zealand champs over the years and starting at the lower weights at flyweight were Frank Bruno, a colourful character around Auckland in the 1930’s, who also several wrote novels, and was a boxing writer for the Auckland paper. His son Frank was also a prominent amateur and professional fighter.
Wayne Young won a couple of titles in 1964 and 65 and later moved to Australia.
In the featherweight division we had Charlie Purdy winning a couple of titles in 1922 and 1923. Charlie went on to be a great professional, and although he did not have a knockout punch, his ability to zig zag and weave, caused many opponents to despair.
1930 and 1931 saw Robert Purdie winning National titles. The Purdie brothers were well known Aucklanders, and won many titles between them.
Toro George won three consecutive National titles in 1962, 63, and 64. He went on to win a Commonwealth crown as a professional in 1970.
Jojo Tipace won four national titles at featherweight in 1995 and than 1997, 98 and 99. He now lives in Australia.
In the bantamweight division we had Johnny Hanks won the amateur crown in 1952, and he went on to be a prominent professional. He was also a prominent amateur trainer around Auckland.
Gary Jago won four consecutive N.Z. Titles from 1990 to 1993.
Manny Santos was national Champion at lightweight in 1963 and 1964. Another very successful professional he won the Commonwealth crown in Wellington in 1969, defeating Bunny Grant from Jamaica.
Ramile Abubot won two titles at lightweight and was trained by Dr. John McKay on the North Shore.
At Welterweight we had Silo Nomura winning two N.Z. Titles in 1966 and 1967.
Danny Codling was a very prominent amateur and won titles 2,000 and 2001 and went to Manchester Commonwealth Games 2002 where he won the bronze medal. He later went to the United States and fought as a professional.
At light Middleweight we had John Hughes win three consecutive titles in 1955, 1956, and 1957. John later became a top policeman in Auckland.
Kesi Milford won two titles in 1966 and 1967.
Lance Revill won titles in 1972 and 1973 at Light Middleweight and was bronze medalist at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games and went on to be a prominent professional.
Sililo Figota won three consecutive crowns in 1990, 1991 and 1992.
Kahukura Bentson is still fighting today after an outstanding amateur career and has had close to 200 bouts. At last count he was on 191 contests, and I’m sure he will make the double century. He has won numerous titles, plus the Jameson Belt on three occasions. Kahu started his boxing in 1994 at the Far North Boxing Club, and went on to win Arafura gold, Oceania gold twice, silver once, and bronze twice. He won the New Zealand senior title on four occasions and the intermediate title once. At Commonwealth Championships he won a bronze.
In 2002 and 2006 he was a N.Z representative at The Commonwealth Games. He narrowly missed going to the Olympics at Athens.
At middleweight Sam Leuii stands out with his five National titles from 1991 to 1995. Trained by Dr John McKay on the North Shore, Sam was part of an outstanding team of NZ Champions all trained on the North Shore by Dr. John.
In the light heavy division there was Raeli Raeli with his four national titles from 1985 to 1988. Emil Cowan won a couple of titles in the 1960’s as did Eddie Wulf and Joe Jackson.
The outstanding name in the heavyweights has to be Bill Kini with his seven consecutive wins and one other win, to make him an eight times New Zealand Heavyweight Champion.
Garth DaSilva was a four time heavyweight Champion and Olympic Games representative at Atlanta. Son of Olympic wrestler John DaSilva, Garth represented Canterbury and also lived in Auckland for some time and was trained on North Shore by Dr. John McKay. John DaSilva was an Auckland heavyweight Boxing Champion himself, and runner-up New Zealand Champion to Bruno Dalliessi. Garth and his father John were both Olympic Games representatives and also both were Commonwealth Games reps., John went to Cardiff in 1958 as a wrestler and Garth was at Kuala Lumpur in 1998.
Other prominent names in this division were Jimmy Peau and David Tua who both won Senior titles on three occasions.
Jimmy won Commonwealth Gold at Edinburgh and went on to be a successful professional and win a version of the World Heavyweight Title.
David Tua was a great amateur and won Olympic Bronze at Barcelona before embarking on a successful career as a professional. His World Title fight against Champion Lennox Lewis in 2,000 had New Zealander’s glued to their TV sets. Sadly David did not win, but he did beat four other holders of World Titles in Hasim Rahman, Michael Moorer, Oleg Maskaev, and John Ruiz.
Looking through the Super heavyweight division the name of Faii Falamoe stands out with his four year reign as champion. Paea Wolfgramm and Jimmy Peau also were Super Heavy winners. Paea went on to win silver for Tonga at the Atlanta Olympics.
Bravely Matau—Mark Robinson
Toa Leutele (Runner -up Heavyweight Title)
David Light (Heavyweight Champion)
David Light
David Light—Dr. John McKay.
Hale Faiumu with Grant Arkell
Hale Faiumu
Lolo Heimuli– Hale Faiumu with team
Hale Faiumu
Sam Leuii with his talented son Andrew Leuii
Andrew Leuii
Billy Graham with Andrew Leuii
Sam Leuii— Andrew Leuii and Dave Cameron
Andrew Leuii and Dave Cameron
Nort Beauchamp with Paul Fitzsimmons
Nort Beauchamp
Martin Mech
Grant Scaife and Billy Graham with Wellington boxers at Dave Cameron's place.
Grant Scaife and Billy Graham with Wellington boxers at Dave Cameron's place.
Magan Maka NZ Champion
Magan Maka—Lolo Heimuli
Ethan Kulatea NZ Champion
Eric Finau
Olympic boxer Siona Fernandes with Bob Lyall
Caleb Lloyd Runner-up NZ Champion with Billy Graham
Johnn Parker NZ Champion with Dr John McKay.
Joseph Parker with Paul Fitzsimmons
Dave Cameron with Joseph Parker
Joseph Parker with brother John
Matt Crawford with Eldon Clifton Matt was runner-up NZ Champion
Nort Beauchamp with Tyson Whalley Both NZ Champion's
Dr John McKay—John Parker—-Joseph Parker
Phil Shatford—Bowyn Morgan NZ Champion and Jameson Belt winner.
Ken Reinsfield—-Billy Graham
Chad Milnes New Zealand Champion
Reece Papuni—-Harry Otty
Reece Papuni—-Harry Otty
Cameron Todd—-Kahukura Bentson New Zealand Middleweight Champion
Cameron Todd—-Kahukura Bentson New Zealand Middleweight Champion
Dr. John McKay—–Kahukura Bentson
Patrick Mailata—-Kahukura Bentson—-Grant Arkell
Patrick Mailata New Zealand Super heavy Champion with trainer Grant Arkell
Terrence Batchelor Super heavy runner-up
Steven Heremaia—-Terrence Batchelor
Steven Heremaia—Terrence Batchelor–Dave Cameron
Steven Heremaia—Terrence Batchelor—William Quarrie
Harry Otty with trophy for his boxer Chad Milnes
Trophy winners.
