It seems to be Murphy's Law – every time you put on the fight of the year a small crowd is in attendance.

The Auckland Boxing Association gave their stadium gratis to Grant Arkell (Papatoetoe Gym) and Lape Tulisi (Private Eye Gym) to promote a fundraiser for their respective gymnasiums on July 24.

Unfortunately only a crowd of 200 was on hand to see a two-man war between Elisara Sii Uta 85kg and Joe Davies 84kg.

It was obvious from the start that Elisara had been regularly sparring with southpaws and had all the answers to the left-hander Joe Davies. Continually firing in straight right-handers, Elisara dropped Joe twice in the first round for eight counts. The fight looked to be all over when Davies landed a left-hook that dropped Sii Uta just before the bell. As he regained his feet, Davies tore in and pounded the Samoan with both hands only for the bell to ring and save Elisara from further punishment. Still groggy at the start of the second round Elisara was soon down again for another eight count.

Elisara looked very sick when he made it to his feet, but Joe instead of picking his punches rushed in like a human tornado, spraying punches all over the place. A recovered Sii Uta came back to break Davies' nose with a jab and twice more drop the tough Maori with straight rights. The referee had seen enough in the third when Davies, his face a mask of blood, was dropped a further three times, this time by wide left hooks. Still struggling to his feet, Joe would have fought on but referee Gary McCrystal called a halt in 2min 14s of the third stanza.

In another crowd pleasing toe-to-toe struggle this time in the Wellington suburb of Porirua, heavyweight Ben Eptime outpointed Karl Kemara over six rounds. Many in the crowd did not agree with the decision.