Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Hard knocks to national dreams for Beazley (+video)

Rotorua Daily Post
29 Nov, 2016 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

When Rotorua's Diane Beazley discovered boxing at 14, she invested all her time and focus in a sport that she says changed her life.

The determined fighter went on to become the No 1 ranked female boxer in New Zealand in the lightweight 81kg division before her retirement in 2011.

"I had a very tough upbringing and boxing offered a release from that," Beazley said. "I remember the first time when I stepped in the gym - I loved the sound of the gloves hitting the bag and the skipping ropes winding up.

"The sport helped me stay out of trouble and I owe everything to it. Boxing is a part of me."

Since handing up her gloves the 39-year-old has turned her hand to coaching and was recently selected as the New Zealand women's boxing assistant coach to accompany the national development squad to China.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Beazley flies out today for a 10-day training camp and AIBA tournament, with head coach Cam Todd and the side hosted by the Tangshan Boxing Federation of China Jiujiang Boxing club - with the likes of Russia and Australia competing.

"It was a huge honour to get that call," Beazley said. "This is a great opportunity for the up and coming boxers of this country and the tournament in China could really put them on the map.

"My aim is to give the squad the best advice possible and use the experience I've had in the ring. It's going to be a very tough 10 days but this country needs to see how the likes of Russia are performing to help our own development.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Female boxers in this country don't get enough exposure - a lot of the focus is on the men but something like this certainly has the opportunity to open doors to the female talent in New Zealand."

Beazley, the head coach at Rotorua's Beazley Boxing Sports, Health and Fitness gym, said her primary aim in the future was to aid in the development of female boxers.

She has already made a mark in the local community, training the likes of up and coming youngster Maea Hay.

But she has grand plans for the future - including running an all-female gym and becoming the highest ranked female Maori coach in the country's history.

Discover more

Rotorua to host monthly boxing bouts

30 Apr 06:12 AM

"Females have come a long way in the sport in a short space of time. I mean it was only in 2012 that it was made an official Olympic sport.

"But there aren't enough female boxers. Simple as that. It's a crying shame because it can do so much for you as a person," Beazley said.

"My own personal story shows that. It greatly helped with my confidence, determination and goal setting in life.

"I want to help this sport progress forward. A dream would be to find and develop a New Zealand international champion female boxer. I know I've got a lot of work to do but I have the aim and drive to make it happen."

2016 New Zealand women's development squad:

Rangi Hetet
Selena Mcphee
Tasmyn Benny
Leah Meagher
Nardene Shatford
Nikita Arnold
Faasu Loia
Baylee MacDonald
Shylah Waikai

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Head coach: Cam Todd
Assistant coach: Diane Beazley

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Rotorua Daily Post

Home-schooled students ride 755km to Parliament for equal sports access

10 Jul 11:07 PM
Sport

Rugby showdown: Local teams gear up for Baywide semis

09 Jul 06:00 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Five Steamers players making waves in the Māori All Blacks

03 Jul 10:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Home-schooled students ride 755km to Parliament for equal sports access

Home-schooled students ride 755km to Parliament for equal sports access

10 Jul 11:07 PM

Amelia Twiss and George Fisher made the journey over 10 days.

Rugby showdown: Local teams gear up for Baywide semis

Rugby showdown: Local teams gear up for Baywide semis

09 Jul 06:00 AM
Five Steamers players making waves in the Māori All Blacks

Five Steamers players making waves in the Māori All Blacks

03 Jul 10:00 PM
'It’s a big deal': Young gamers chase international esports glory

'It’s a big deal': Young gamers chase international esports glory

30 Jun 06:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP