Whangārei Fight Night: Matt Matich to take on Kamo’s Kurt Benney

Rugby players Kurt Benney, from Kamo, and Matt Matich, from Western Sharks, are ready for a battle royale when they go head-to-head at Whangārei’s big Fight Night promotion on December 2

Their boxing fight had only just been announced but it didn’t take long for Northland rugby players Matt Matich and Kurt Benney to get the trash-talking going ahead of their bout on Whangārei’s big Fight Night promotion in December.

Matich, who plays for the Northland Taniwha in the NPC and Western Sharks in the Northland premier competition, and Benney, a proud Kamo club player, will go head-to-head on the undercard of the double world title fight night being held at McKay Stadium on December 2.

Matich and Benney are set to take part in the Whangārei Fight Night when two Northland world boxing champs - Kaitāia’s Mea Motu and Whangārei’s Lani Daniels - defend their titles.

Peach Boxing’s Motu will put her IBO super bantamweight world title on the line against India’s Chandni Mehra, while Daniels is booked for a defence of her IBF world heavyweight championship against Australia’s Desley Robi.

Earlier this month Matich threw out the challenge for an opponent to take him on and said, that while he’d fight anybody, he had a particular hatred of Kamo and was hoping one of their players would step up.

Matich said a few people had said they were keen to take up the challenge, with Rob Rush particularly eager. But with Rush training for Super Rugby, he could not get the time off.

So up stepped Benney, fuelled by Matich’s dissing of his beloved Kamo and wanting to prove that his club had the muscle and power needed to put Matich in his place.

‘’Kurt’s known as a big thug on the rugby field and I have vivid memories of him taking people out illegally, often with a sly elbow, so I’m really looking forward to taking him on,’' Matich said.

‘’I’ve played against him and he’s a powerful guy and he looks big and strong and will hit pretty hard, but I’m going in there to take him out. I’m really looking forward to this.’’

There’s already plenty of verbal sparring between rugby players Kurt Benney and Matt Matich, with the pair to produce some big shots when they face off on the undercard of the boxing double-world title fight on December 2

Matich said the chance to be part of such an amazing night - two world title fights on one card - in Whangārei was something he jumped at.

If he wins, Matich wants to have the chance to go further in the sport. He’s had two MMA fights and lost his only boxing fight so far, against former All Black Liam Messam.

Benney said Matich calling out Kamo fired up everybody in the club and suburb and, as somebody who loved a challenge, he was only too happy to put on the gloves.

‘’Not everybody hates Kamo, but it’s got a bit of a following. Like the ‘Up The Wahs’ campaign, everyone is jumping on the ‘Hate Kamo’ bandwagon. But when you win so many games and titles, I suppose people will get upset about it,’’ he said.

‘’And I know why Matt hates Kamo. He went into a store to buy some new gloves, but they only had ones with five fingers so he had to go without.’’

With the banter going back and forth between the pair, it’s likely to get tasty when they get into the ring on December 2.

‘’It’s going to be a tough old fight, but Kamo Rugby Club is going to show what it has got and smoke the Western Sharks,’’ Benney said.

‘’Bring it on,’’ responded Matich.

Fight night promoter Dean Lonergan said there had been plenty of interest in the event, with tickets selling fast.

Tickets are available at dandlevents.co.nz