Amateur boxing nationals in Whanganui draw a full house

Isabella Parkes (red) throws a right hand in her bout against Wairarapa's Brooke Miller. Photo / Bevan Conley

Fighters from around the country have been in Whanganui this week for the New Zealand Amateur Boxing Championships.

It's the second time this year the tournament has been held in the city, with the 2021 edition pushed to April due to Covid-19.

Event organiser and Whanganui head coach Eddie Tofa said the 2022 competition had been a success so far.

"Registration day was chocka blocka and Thursday we had a full house. There were a good five or six hundred people here.

"An extra 50-odd boxers came this time around compared to April."

Three Whanganui boxers had been in action by Friday afternoon.

Isabella Parkes won a silver medal after going down to long time rival Brooke Miller from Wairarapa in the cadet female under-46kg final.

Miller retained her national title.

Junior lightweight Pheenyx Apiata Cook and super heavyweight Sale Oldehaver lost their opening bouts.

First up, Oldehaver drew current national champion Roma Crichton, the man who stopped him in the first minute of round one at the April nationals.

Apiata-Cook came up against an opponent with more than 60 fights on their record, Tofa said.

"He did his best and lasted all three rounds. It's all learning."

Tofa said Oldehaver was "a different beast" in the ring compared to six months ago.

"He won the first round then Roma came back in the second and third.

"Sale only lost by one point. That fight alone was worth the ticket price.

"Roma might have even thought he lost at the end of the fight."

Eddie Tofa says he will put his hand up to host the tournament for the third time. Photo / Bevan Conley

Oldehaver said he ran out of gas halfway through the second round.

"I think a lot of people thought he [Crichton] would have it easy," Oldehaver said.

"It's a massive improvement from six months ago. I wasn't quite good enough on the day but I'm still going forward."

He was nursing a few bruises after what was a "good hard fight".

"There will be a talk with the team to see if I should go professional or give the amateurs one more year," Oldehaver said.

"At the moment I'm leaning towards giving it one more crack. I know I can do better and I'm on a good path.

"Imagine what another 12 months of training could do."

Amateur bouts consist of three rounds while professionals start on four.

Marton-based boxer Onyx Lye, the reigning national light-heavyweight champion, will defend his title in the final on Saturday.

Lye represented New Zealand at this year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

All Whanganui's boxing visitors were excited to see how the sport was run in the city, Tofa said.

There would be around 90 fights by the end of the tournament.

"We have proven we can do it here, we've got it down to a T," Tofa said.

He didn't rule out hosting the nationals for the third time.

"There is an AGM on Saturday and if no one puts their hand up we will go for the three-peat. It can only be good for Whanganui.

"I'll have to ask the wife first though."

Tofa said he had been in the kitchen for most of the tournament, cooking chips and hot dogs.

"I'm feeling pretty good right now but ask me again on Saturday night."