Boxing: Chance to clinch Games positions

The Oceania amateur championships starting in Taupo today have extra significance for 14 of the 20 New Zealand fighters in the event.

For those 14, the Oceania tournament is part of the selection process for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in July and August.

To gain a Commonwealth Games nomination, the New Zealand boxers will need to win gold or silver medals at Taupo.

The championships, first held in Tahiti in 1972, will bring 10 nations from the Pacific together in the town.

The recent Australian domination of the championships was ended in Fiji last year with New Zealand winning three gold medals to Australia's four. Other countries which won gold were Samoa (two), Fiji, American Samoa and Tahiti.

For the first time, a women's division will be held at the championships.

New Zealand have named a team of seven female boxers.

While the main opposition should come from Australia, the New Zealand women had a comprehensive victory over their Australian counterparts in a transtasman test series last year.

Among the New Zealand men, Oceania and Arufura Games gold medallists Daniel Codling and Kahukura Bentson will be favoured to retain their titles.

Bentson has been unbeaten in his last dozen fights.

New Zealand have three hot prospects in the heaviest weight divisions. If super heavyweight Paula Mataele put it all together in the ring he could be too strong for his opponents.

The two New Zealand heavyweights, Shane Cameron and Angus Shelford, could meet in the final with a favourable draw.

Other medal prospects include Soulan Pownceby, who will be defending the title he won in Suva last year, and Daniel Headifen is arguably the most improved boxer in this country in the last couple of years.

Veteran competitor Noah Lopez is keen to secure his second Commonwealth Games selection.

- NZPA