Boxing: Focus and form pays off again for Kyle Chen

Kyle Chen with coach Rusty Porter, souvenir koala and Australian Golden Gloves gold medal he won in Queensland last week.

Kyle Chen cleaned up in his division at the Australian Golden Gloves championships in Queensland last Thursday.

With coach Rusty Porter in his corner representing the Waipapa-based Northland Boxing Gym, Chen claimed the 75kg Junior Male Open title at the championships, which were held at the Acacia Ridge Hotel.

The Kerikeri High School Year 11 student's first fight was a semi-final last Wednesday where he defeated Jackson McMahon (current Queensland champ) by a third round TKO. Porter said Chen stopped McMahon with some "beautiful head and body shots" in bout 39 on the day's card.

The win allowed the 15-year-old Haruru Falls fighter to advance to the final against Rory Booth, a ACT champion, in the day's 12th bout, with Chen winning all three rounds via a unanimous points decision. Porter wasn't surprised at the result, considering the focus and form Chen took into the event.

"Chen fought really well. He's focused, been training well," he said, noting there wasn't much sightseeing done on their Australian sojourn.

"First day it was box, eat, sleep, second day, box, eat, sleep again, come home."

- Porter and Chen plan to be in Kaitaia for the third annual fundraising fight night for the proposed Te Hiku sports complex at Te Ahu Centre on Saturday, September 10. Porter has trained a number of fighters for that event while son Mike will be fighting in the top of the card. A preview will feature next week.