"I have high hopes in the fight and I want win the title," he said.
"It's going to be very tough but I believe I have the right skills to do well in the ring.
"I have the heart and I think my left hook and right combination will put me in good stead for today."
"It's great to be back in the region, because this will always be home to me."
To add more spice to the duel Kirkwood is trained by Aaron Warren's younger brother Caine.
"It's great that our two boxers can battle it out and it will be an interesting contest to watch," Aaron Warren said.
"Of course it will be very competitive in the ring but blood is thicker than water so there will be no hard feelings between us whatever the outcome."
Boi Boi comes into the fight in impressive form after beating Rik Naran from Canterbury Boxing Association in the semi finals over three rounds taking the bout with a unanimous 3-0 victory on Thursday.
"I managed to have nice clean shots and a dangerous left hook," said Boi Boi.
"But the best is yet to come from me. I want to unleash it in the final."
Boi Boi also has the recent 2015 Queensland title to his name as well as previously winning a New Zealand youth title in 2012 and the North Island golden gloves title in the cadet open division the same year.
The boxer, currently at a weight of 61kg, trains two hours a day, six times a week, and Warren said the youngster had the dedication to do well.
"That's what makes him a good fighter, he's determined," he said.
"Obviously we can't predict how he will do but he has done all he can mentally and physically for this challenge."
Boi Boi, a former Rangitahi College student, first started boxing at the age of 11, after turning up for Warren's Ultimate Performance boxing programme which the coach ran in 10 schools in the district with more than 400 students involved.
"He stood out straight away," said Warren.
"Boi Boi had the right mentality. He wasn't actually picked by the school but he just turned up anyway. That's the kind of thing I like to see."
The determined boxer was inspired to take up the sport by his grandfather Rangi Anderson who was a martial arts expert with a black belt in karate.
"My grandfather encouraged me to have a go at hitting a bag in the back yard," he said.
"And I wanted to follow in his footsteps and do something positive with my life."
The New Zealand Boxing Championships is where many of nation's boxing stars are born such as Parker, David Tua, Shane Cameron and Daniella Smith.
Boi Boi hopes to one day join this list of elite boxers and said he was aiming to compete at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
"I want to win another national title but I have bigger dreams that I also want to make a reality," he said.
"I want to represent my country at the Commonwealth and be the first from my home town to compete there."
Divisions at the Boxing New Zealand National Championships include cadets (12-14), juniors (15-17), youth (17-19) and elite, with different weight classes in each division.
The session for the finals for the youth and elite boxers at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre starts from 4pm today.