Australia versus New Zealand amateur tournaments are pretty infrequent these days but back in history they were regular events. It is always great to see the Australians come to New Zealand and I have found records of some interesting contests between the two countries. They were fought one year in New Zealand and the following year in Australia.
In 1903 the first Australasian championships were held at Sydney, contested by the first official N.Z. amateur team. The team was H. N. Taylor (Greymouth), heavyweight, J.M. Griffin (Greymouth), middleweight, M. Rosenberg, (Otago), lightweight, and A. Parker, (Canterbury), featherweight. Taylor and Griffin won titles.
In 1904 the first the first Australasian Championships were held in New Zealand, at Christchurch. J. M. Griffin was the only New Zealand winner, successful in the middleweight and heavyweight classes.
The Australasian Championships continued to the first World War years and then resumed in 1920. After 1923 they became infrequent but it would be great to see them return on a regular basis. They returned in the 1930’s for a short spell, then once in the 1950’s, and then in the 1960’s they returned but not on a regular basis. Since then we have seen Queensland teams out here, New South Wales and various State teams, and the odd Australian team, but nothing on a regular basis.
Tony Madigan, the Australian globetrotter and great light-heavyweight, was possibly the most famous Australian Olympian. He really fought around the world and met opponents like Cassius Clay, (twice) Henry Cooper, Jack Harper and Kiwi fighters Gerry Maloney, Johnny Logan, John McKay and Eddie Morrison. He went to three Olympic Games, Melbourne in 1956, Rome in 1960, and Tokyo in 1964. His record fifth, fifth, and third at Olympics. He also won three medals at Commonwealth Games. Silver 1954, Gold 1958 and 1962. I can confirm Tony Madigan had one fight in New Zealand, and that was a loss to Kiwi heavyweight Johnny Logan in Greymouth, after too much Kiwi hospitality which included some deer stalking and pig hunting. In 1963 news came out that Tony Madigan was turning professional and was to fight Archie Moore in Sydney. However this never happened.
New Zealand’s Olympic boxing history still stands at one gold, one silver and one bronze.
Ted Morgan of Wellington won New Zealand’s only boxing gold medal in 1928 at the Amsterdam Olympic Games. Part of a two man team with Alf Cleverley, Ted won in the welterweight class instead of his normal lightweight class. The long sea voyage and lack of sparring partners caused Ted to gain weight.
Kevin Barry, probably now better known these days as Joseph Parker’s trainer, won a silver medal at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. The win was controversial, after Evander Holyfield was disqualified for hitting after the bell. Up to that stage Kevin had won three bouts and looked impressive going in to the medal rounds. The silver medal was hung round the Christchurch fighters neck after he was declared medically unfit to contest the final.
David Tua won bronze at Barcelona in 1992. He started well and looked really impressive with two knock out victories inside two rounds. Then he met the tough Nigerian David Izonritei in the semi-finals. He lost this bout on points to pick up bronze, and had many world talent scouts seeking his signature to sign him up for the professional ranks.
