Boxing: Pair share their love of the ring

By PETER JESSUP

Boxing has been a love story for Aucklanders Daniel Codling and Malannie Peterken.

Codling was a trainer at Kevin Barry's Auckland gym when Peterken came in about three years ago to seek fitness training through the punch-bag and shadow-boxing.

The training sessions grew longer and longer. They had been together a couple of years and Peterken had watched Codling fight and win a few times. She then announced she wanted a try.

"We had a fight," she said of Codling's reaction.

But he came around, and no one is now more pleased when his partner distinguishes herself in the ring.

At the weekend, Codling, the New Zealand welterweight champion, was in Darwin winning the gold medal at the Arafura Games and Peterken was in Taupo, capturing the lightweight title at the annual Golden Gloves tournament.

She had to step up in weight because she had no opponents in her featherweight division.

Her class was noted with the award of the "most scientific" prize for the tournament, after a similar award at the national championships in Christchurch.

Both 21, Codling and Peterken have long careers ahead in the sport if they want them. Codling, with three Oceania Games behind him, is aiming for selection for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester next year. Peterken, a one-point loser to Stephanie Perry, of Christchurch, at the nationals last year, wants Perry's NZ title.

She is not scared, not even after the knockout and subsequent coma suffered by visiting Australian boxer Patricia Devellerez.

"It worried Danny more than it worried me. I don't think about that too much. If you did, you wouldn't get in the ring," said Peterken, a PA at accountants KPMG.

"A lot of it comes down to your corner."

Codling and the couple's trainer, Paul Wallbank, are always in hers.

"They can throw the towel in any time. They don't have to let you take a beating. I have complete trust in them."

Besides, she said, "the feeling of winning is worth the risk."

Codling is out for as much international exposure as he can get and hopes to go to the Commonwealth championships in Sri Lanka in July.

His opponents in Darwin, Asians as well as the Aussies and Pacific Islanders he is used to, provided valuable experience.

So did the heat.

"We were dripping wet [with perspiration] when a news broadcast came over saying the cold snap was there to stay."