Muay Thai: Quinita Hati takes national title

Quinita Hati claimed a national boxing title in Taranaki last weekend. Photo / Chris Lord Photography

A female martial artist from the Bay of Islands won a national boxing title in Taranaki over the weekend.

Accompanied by a large entourage of local supporters, Moerewa's Quinita Hati travelled to New Plymouth to fight for the New Zealand Professional Boxing Commission national female lightweight (60kg) title.

Hati eventually had to go the distance to beat Tania "The Terminator" Reed over eight rounds before she could claim the win in a unanimous points decision and hold the belt aloft.

"Good that it tested my fitness levels," she said of the bout.

The title was one of two up for grabs in the Taranaki Explosion at the TSB Stadium on Saturday night. The event featured nine fights in all, the other seven being "corporate" bouts involving women and men, and drew a large crowd.

It was the fifth boxing bout for the 30-year-old mother of three, who now has one win, one draw and three losses and is gaining a fearsome reputation for her stamina in the ring. She fights out of the Toa Ngatihine Muay Thai Fitness Studio in Kawakawa.

The pint-sized powerhouse is also an accomplished kickboxer and fought two different martial arts in the same weekend late last year, the Big Bash charity boxing event on the Friday then a kickboxing event the next night.

It doesn't appear she'll be hanging up the gloves anytime soon either.

Hati is already preparing to spearhead a group of women from Toa Ngatihine fighting at the Lethal Ladies kickboxing tournament in Auckland on June 16.

There, she'll take part in a four-lady WKBF elimination bout under full Muay Thai rules (where she will need to win her first fight to fight again).

Others from Toa Ngatihine fighting at the Lethal Ladies are Aaliyah Clarke, contesting the WKBF welterweight Super 4 New Zealand title on modified Muay Thai rules, while Amber Clarke, Raiha Kopa and 13-year-old Atariyah Tipene will feature on the undercard.

With five women in action, Toa Ngatihine will be one of the well represented gyms at the Auckland fightfest.

In other news, seven of eight Toa Ngatihine fighters - Tayen Stuart, Seven Ngawati, Jonam Bhika, Amber Clarke, Rahema Hook, Tama Stevens and Clayton Halliday (the latter eventually not fighting) - ended up being matched up from a line-up of 23 for round 10 of the Battle of the Waikato last month.

The four youth and three adult fighters who did get to fight ended up with four wins, including those by mother and son, Hook and Stuart, 14.

Hati singled out trainer Phillip Allsopp and Toa Ngatihine administration wizard Sasha Rewha for helping her achieve her goals.

- The Northland Age