National women’s Muay Thai titles up for grabs

Two national women's titles will be up for grabs at a Muay Thai fund raising tournament to be held at the Featherston Anzac Hall on Saturday, September 12.
Angela Orr of Dannevirke and Angela Bennett of Palmerston North will square off for the bantamweight (under-53kgs) crown and Meenal Parasaad of Wellington and Ashleigh Ahipene of Dannevirke will do likewise in the flyweight (under 48kgs) division.
All told there will be up to 15 bouts at the tourney, which is being held as a fundraiser for the Featherston trio attending the world Muay Thai championships in Bangkok in November, George Murray, Nepia Poutu and Sue Latta. Murray and Poutu are members of the New Zealand team which Latta will manage.
Murray and Poutu, both of whom are in the super heavyweight class, will strut their stuff at the Anzac Hall event, Murray against Pane Haraki of Napier and Poutu against Warren Joseph of Palmerston North. Several other members of the Featherston-based Muay Thai club will also be part of an impressive card, including nine-year-old Daniel Ross, 14-year-old Hannah Warrington, Matt Gain, Kirk Davis and Thomas Duncan.
Meanwhile tournament organiser Sue Latta has hit back at critics of women's boxing being part of the 2010 London Olympics. atta, holder of the South Pacific light welterweight and New Zealand welterweight professional boxing titles, said it was "high time" women's boxing was recognised at the highest levels.
"People who see it as pugilistic and violent and clearly not suitable to women as a result don't know what they are talking about," she said.
"It's like any sport, if you don't have the required techniques, skill and fitness you don't get anywhere. And that goes for men and women."
Latta admits she would have been keen to chase Olympic selection herself but for the fact the age limit for the women is 35yrs and under and she is 38.
The competitive nature of Sue Latta still a burns brightly, however, and with a knee problem meaning her movements are currently restricted she has turned her interest to body building. And she is making an excellent fist of that well judging by her second placing in a novice physique class at a Taupo event last weekend. Latta said that particular placing had been a big enough boost to confidence to have her aiming for the national body building championships in November.