Riki “Sharp” Sharpe will step into the ring at the upcoming International Charity Fight Night in Hamilton.
Riki “Sharp” Sharpe will step into the ring at the upcoming International Charity Fight Night in Hamilton.
At 56, Riki “Sharp” Sharpe is feeling confident as he prepares to step in the ring at the upcoming International Charity Fight Night in Hamilton.
The Whangamatā-based veteran boxer will square off against fellow veteran Michael Peterson, 52, when they go toe to toe at Globox Arena on September 7.
Both are fighting in the welterweight division, tagged by Ironfist Promotions founder Nigel Elliot as a semi-professional fight.
Both boxers have dozens of fights under their belts, and will get in the ring again for four, two-minute rounds.
Elliot reached out to Sharpe when weighing up the event.
“I always see Riki around at boxing events. I know he’s a veteran of the sport and has expressed interest in fighting on my promotion before,” Elliot said.
“So, when the opportunity came around to fight another veteran of the sport in Michael Peterson, I knew where to go ... Riki was happy to take up the challenge. The event is for a great cause in the I Am Hope Foundation, with every table sold in August we will be giving 15% to the charity.”
Sharpe said he has a strict training schedule.
Sharpe took up boxing at the age of 23 when he joined a West Auckland gym.
He moved to Mt Maunganui and took up Kung Fu and then Thai kickboxing, where he had four fights.
From there he went back to boxing and had four fights, subsequently gaining a Golden Gloves title.
He continued with boxing and kickboxing, notching up another 30-plus bouts in New Zealand and Australia before settling in Whangamatā.
He said the upcoming bout had given him a new sense of direction.
He started training about two months ago and was committed to a strict regime.
“When I have to get in the ring, I will be serious. Boxing is like a life journey, where you learn a lot, not so much about punching people but more about being a better person, having discipline and being calm during a storm.”
Michael Peterson and Riki Sharpe will meet in the ring during the Charity Fight Night in Hamilton on September 7.
Peterson has 60 amateur and 10 professional boxing bouts under his belt.
He runs Eastside Boxing in Hamilton, and was looking forward to stepping in the ring with Sharpe.
He said his operation focused on giving underprivileged and troubled youth opportunities, and he saw the upcoming match as an opportunity to inspire them.
Ironfist Promotions is a new partnership between boxing sponsor Craig Edwards and Elliott, who has been promoting professional boxing in New Zealand for 10 years. This event will be Elliott’s 20th professional boxing event.
