The Mexican Middleweight Roberto Pena came to New Zealand in 1965 and stayed here for some time.
His beautiful wife Sierra accompanied him, and acted as his second, and tended to him in the corner between rounds. Sierra became the centre of attention out here as fans craned their necks to get better view of this unusual sight at a boxing match. Back home in Mexico, Sierra was a professional dancer of considerable standing.
Records say Sierra was not the first lady to act as a second in New Zealand. In fact in Wellington in 1935 Mrs Aitken was second to her son Billy Aitken, who was New Zealand Featherweight Champion.
Roberto Pena had some tough fights both here and in Australia. He wasn't a world-beater, but the tough Mexican had many fans out here. He beat some good ones in Earl Nikora, N.Z. Middle and Light-heavy Champ, Bronco Jones, and Filo Manuao down in Dunedin, but lost to some top names in Tuna Scanlan, Charley Shipes, Clarence James, and Earl Nikora on a cut eye stoppage. In Australia he lost a very close one to Tony Barber at Sydney Stadium. Again his wife Sierra was the big attraction in Sydney.
In 1966 Sierra was in Green Lane Hospital in Auckland, when Roberto also took ill and was also in Green Lane Hospital. He had a serious illness and stayed in new Zealand for some years.
Probably one of his hardest and most spectacular fights was his first match with Earl Nikora. The Auckland star had the following heading in it's sports section.
"SLOGGING MATCH ENDS IN T.K.O. TO NIKORA."
The hardest and most spectacular fight seen in Auckland for many years came to an untimely end when cuts over the left eye prevented Mexican Bobby Pena from coming out for the 10th round against New Zealand Champion Earl Nikora in the YMCA Stadium last night.
A lump over Pena's left eye, which came up in the second round, started to bleed in the 5th – a round packed with toe-to-toe slugging in which Pena was on top. Handler Ron Grimmer patched up the cut at the end of each round from then on, A doctor examined it at the end of the 7th and said Pena could continue.
In the hectic exchanges of the next two rounds, however, Pena suffered a further cut, over the left eyelid, under the brow. The doctor looked at it again after the ninth, and this time ruled that Pena could not continue.
Referee Bob Lyall accordingly named Nikora the winner on a technical knockout – and both men, who had fought each other to a standstill, appeared relieved that it was all over.
There was little difference on points at the end of the ninth.
