Davis set to challenge for world crown

A world title will be up for grabs at a kickboxing tournament at the Featherston-based Phytin Feddy-Style Muay Thai Club at the Anzac Hall in Featherston on Saturday, June 5.
It will be the first contest for the world junior Muay Thai welterweight crown and will feature Featherston's Kirk Davis, who will come up against Aucklander Sam Hill.
At just 16, Davis is two years younger than Hill but both are expected to weigh in close to the allowable 63kg for the welterweight division.
Under the coaching of national representative Sue Latta, a former world champion, Davis has made progress in his kickboxing career of only two years.
The Kuranui College pupil has won three of his five full fights after showing promise in the lower grades and his camp are confident he will give a strong account of himself against Hill in a bout of four two-minute rounds.
Davis' mother, Kelly, is an assistant coach at PFS and she will be in his corner for his world title attempt. She said her son was ready for a big effort.
''He's really pumped up for it,'' she said.
Two other ''super'' fights will be on the busy June 5 programme, which will include as many as 11 novice or junior bouts and six full fights.
One of the ''super'' fights will be an-all Wairarapa affair with Cody Tumuri, from Masterton, confronting Jade Ngapera, of Featherston, while the other will see Brendon Varty, of Masterton, taking on B.J. Bland, of Eltham.
Kelly Davis warned people wanting tickets to the Featherston tourney to get in early as they were expected to meet a hot demand.
''It will be entertainment plus, the full house sign is sure to be up,'' she said.