Boxing: Olympic hopefuls must win

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Two New Zealand boxers making comebacks must win gold in Canberra this weekend to get to the Olympics.

Trevor Shailer, who fought at the 1992 Olympics, is back from a three-year retirement trying to win the welterweight class at the Oceania championships, starting tonight.

One of his main contenders is young Kiwi Daniel Codling, who beat Shailer in a local fight last month.

Heavyweight Garth da Silva is back in the ring tonight for his first fight since the New Zealand championships last September.

He is continuing to push for the Olympics, despite concerns over irregularities in his testosterone levels.

New Zealand are without Aucklanders Daryl Lichtwark and Tom Fitzgerald.

Lichtwark broke his hand last month and Irish-turned-New Zealand fighter Fitzgerald has been told by the Oceania Boxing Association that he could not compete in Canberra because he had not lived in New Zealand for five years.

Coach John McKay believes he could have five or six boxers go to Sydney, with high hopes for young fighters, lightweight Ramil Abubot and middleweight Lance Bryant, who pulled off victories in the pre-Olympics last December.

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