Boxing: Bams Boxing of Dannevirke member wins important fight

Connor Anderson (in blue), coach Adam Jones with Anson (his sparring partner) and Geoff Rothwell.

By Adam Jones

On November 21 Bams Boxing of Dannevirke took Connor Anderson to Taupō to compete in its yearly boxing tournament.

We got confirmation of a match up a few days before it.

After we had done a bit of research into the opponent we found he was the Wairarapa's top boxer in his gym and had won a lot of awards for his boxing achievements. He was also taller, heavier and older so we knew we had a fight on our hands.

This added more drive for Connor to put in a big effort and test his skills out, after being over a year without a bout because of lack of opponents in his age/weight group.

We set the game plan for Connor to come straight at the opponent and get him on the back foot straight from the bell.

The bell rang and Connor put the pressure right on him, punching his way around the ring and landing some nice straight shots startling his opponent. A big right hand lands followed by a good flurry with the boy on the ropes to finish with a massive clean left hook, then right hook to drop his opponent.

The referee stopped the bout one minute into the first round. Connor's last bout last year ended in exactly the same result.

We are very proud of him because he has been putting in a lot of hard work in and out of the gym and putting it all to work in the ring.

It's a rare sight to see fighters that weight and age group putting their opponents on the canvas and it just goes to show the power, speed and determination young Connor has got.

Tony Mansill (Manal) put in the extra time helping out with trainings up in the gym and Geoff and Anson Rothwell for came up to support and help out.

Next on the cards for Connor is his shot at a NZ title at the week-long nationals in end of January 2021.