While the Ted Morgan achieved Olympic glory in 1928 when he won New Zealand first gold medal – in recent times the Commonwealth Games has become the realistic medal target.

New Zealand boxers first competed at what was originally known at the Empire Games, at the third staging of the Games at Sydney in 1938.

New Zealand had a team of eight in all the weight divisions of the day. The team was coached by Pat Hughes from Southland, who also managed the team. All the team members had won National championship titles, at the New Zealand championships, held in Greymouth during 1937.

Darcy Heeney was the most successful of the 1938 Games team members, annexing the National Welterweight crown in 1937, 1938 and 1939.

The first Empire Games boxing medal was presented to Featherweight Ken Moran. In the early days of the Empire Games, it was common for just a handful of competitors to line-up in the various weight divisions. Ken’s medal came after he lost his bout, but won the consolation medal on the toss of a coin

Darcy Heeney from the well-known Gisborne boxing family, became the first Kiwi to win a medal in the ring. After defeating an opponent from Rhodesia, he went on to the final being defeated by W Smith from Australia to win a Silver Medal.

1938 Empire Games – Sydney, Australia

Flyweight - Hugh Sheridan (Auckland)        

Lost J Joubert (South Africa)                         Points

Bantamweight – Jackie Parker (Wellington) 

Lost W Butler (England)                                Points

Featherweight – Ken Moran (Auckland)                 (on toss of coin) Bronze Medal                                    Lost A Henricus Ceylon)                            Points

Lightweight – Joe Collins (Manawatu)

Lost W Fulton (Rhodesia)                              Points

Welterweight – Darcy Heeney (Gisborne)                                         Silver Medal

                                    Defeated A Tsrinddanis (Rhodesia)               Points

                                    Lost W Smith (Australia)                               Points

Middleweight – Artie Sutherland (Southland)

                                    Lost D Reardon (Wales)                                 Points

Heavyweight – Ron Withell (Ashburton)

                                    Lost C Sterley (South Africa)                         Points

Coach/Manager Pat Hughes (Southland)

With the intervention of World War Two, the next Empire Games didn’t take place until 1950. In what was a huge undertaking for New Zealand at the time, the 1950 Empire Games were held in Auckland.

One interesting fact from the Auckland Empire Games, was that New Zealand selected a full set of reserve boxers, who never entered the ring.

Amongst the reserves was one Barry Brown, who went on to become one of the finest professional boxers produced in New Zealand. Brown won the Empire Welterweight Professional title in Wellington in 1954, defeating Gerald Dreyer who had won a gold medal in the Lightweight division at the 1948 London Olympic Games.

At the Auckland Games, English born Frank Creagh won the first New Zealand Empire Games boxing Gold Medal.

Introduced to boxing in the concrete jungle of the West Ham docks area, Creagh won a British schoolboy title in 1938, and the following year became the London Middleweight champion, at the tender age of sixteen. After war service in the British Army, the Londoner arrived in Wellington via the merchant navy. Wandering around he spotted the City Mission gym, and under the guidance of Harry Squires he began to climb the amateur heavyweight ranks.

Creagh swept all before him at the 1949 New Zealand championships, and then set his sights on representing his adopted country, at the Empire Games the following year. In the trials he became an automatic selection with the demolition of his opponents.

There were only two entrants in the Heavyweight division in Auckland, and Frank was up against Australian F Cousins for the gold medal prize. The durable Australian must have been pleased when the final bell went, as he had been hit all around the ring, while Frank with chin down, punched out an easy points victory.

Frank settled in Rotorua during 1962 and trained out of the May Road gymnasium for many years. One of the many fine boxers that started his career with the Rotorua mentor, was former New Zealand amateur and professional champion Michael Sykes. Frank Creagh passed away in 1998.

1950 Empire Games - Auckland, New Zealand

Flyweight – R Madden (Taranaki)

                                    Lost K Edwin (Canada)                                  Points

Bantamweight – Bobby Broadhurst (Auckland)

                                    Lost Leonard Walters (Canada)                      Points

Featherweight – Billy Paterson (Hawkes Bay

                                    Lost Peter Brander (England)

Lightweight – Jimmy Barden (Hutt Valley)

                                    Defeated Lindsay King (Rhodesia)                Points

                                    Lost William Barber (Australia)                     Points

Welterweight – Jimmy McIvor (Hawkes Bay)

                                    Defeated Johannes Small (Rhodesia)                         Points

                                    Lost Terry Ratcliffe (England)                       Points

Middleweight – Jimmy Beal (Southland)                                          Silver Medal

                                    Lost Teus van Schalkwyk (South Africa)      Points

Light Heavyweight – Chris Rollinson (Auckland)                             Silver Medal

                                    Lost DE Scott (England)                                TKO R1

Heavyweight – Frank Creagh (Wellington)                                       Gold medal

                                    Defeated SJ Cousins (Australia)                     Points

Coach: Dick Meale (Auckland)

Manager: Dick Dunn (Wellington)

Selected Reserves (who didn’t take to the ring)

Flyweight – C Shanks (Southland) failed weight and replaced

Bantamweight – NR Collins (Taranaki)

Featherweight – BR Brown (Hawkes Bay)

Lightweight – K Anderson (Southland)

Welterweight – CJ Brennan (Auckland)

Middleweight – BC Bloor (Taranaki)

Light Heavyweight – T Turnbull (Wellington)

Heavyweight – AJ Rook (Auckland)

After the success of the first New Zealand gold medal won by Frank Creagh in Auckland in 1950, the Kiwi results at the 1954 Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver were disappointing.

While all four New Zealand boxers lost in their first round bouts, the unluckiest was undoubtedly Maurice Tuck. The four time New Zealand Middleweight champion had his bout stopped when the Greymouth boxer sustained a cut eye.

1954 Empire & Commonwealth Games – Vancouver, Canada

Bantamweight:            Eddie Stockley (Taranaki)

                                    Lost – John Smillie (Scotland)                       RSC 2

Light Welterweight:    Alan Scaife (Wellington)

                                    Lost – Aubrey Harris (Southern Rhodesia)    Points

Welterweight:             Michael Hannah (Hawkes Bay)

                                    Lost – Nick Gargano (England)                     Points

Middleweight:            Maurice Tuck (Greymouth)

                                    Lost – Bruce Wells (England)                                    RSC (cut eye)

Manager:                     Horace Hunt

A bronze medal was the reward for the five New Zealand boxers who were selected to box at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Wales.

Paddy Donovan who must rank as one of the top all time Kiwi lightweight boxers, winning the National title three times, won his first round bout defeating C Sam from South Africa. In his semi-final bout Donovan came up against a world-class opponent in Scotland’s Dick McTaggert. While beaten, Paddy stayed the full three rounds with the Scotsman who had won a Olympic Gold Medal in 1956

Another to strike a world class opponent was Eddie Morrison, who lost to Tony Madigan from Australia. The Australian was another Olympic medallist, earning bronze after being defeated by Muhammad Ali at Rome in 1960. The Wester Coast South Island pugilist took Madigan to the judge’s decision.

1958 Commonwealth Games – Cardiff, Wales

Featherweight:                        Morrie Purton (Canterbury)

                                    Lost – M Collins (Wales)                                Points

Lightweight:               Paddy Donovan (Hawkes Bay)                      Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – C Sam (South Africa)                   Points

                                    Lost – R McTagggart (Scotland)                    Points

Welterweight:             Graham Finlay (Greymouth)

                                    Lost – G Smith (Rhodesia)                             Points

Middleweight:            Bevan Weir (Auckland)

                                    Lost – T Milligan (Northern Ireland)             Points

Light Heavyweight:    Eddie Morrison (Westport)

                                    Lost – A Madigan (Australia)                         Points

Coach:                         Jack ‘Doc’ Finlay (Greymouth)

New Zealand Boxing legendary identity Brian O’Brien did more to promote the sport of boxing both at professional and amateur levels, than any other individual during the first hundred years of the New Zealand Boxing Association.

The Wellingtonian wrote about the sport he loved, both as freelance journalist for a number of worldwide boxing publications and as a Kiwi sports journalist and later Editor of the Sports Digest.

In 1969, the boxing historian was set a task by the Nationals program editor to write about the three best amateur fights that he had witnessed. The following description tells the tale of Wally Coe (Wellington) defeat of Johnny Pritchett (England) in the final of the Commonwealth Games Welterweight division at Perth, Australia 1962.

“In his tenth fight against an overseas opponent, Coe the wireworker from the Hutt Valley, preserved his unbeaten record in international boxing by winning the title from the dark haired solidly built Briton”. “He had beaten the Pakistani, Muhammad Sharif and the Northern Irishman, Charlie Rice, while Pritchett had come through the opposite end of the draw at the expense of Joe Darkey (Ghana) and Albert Turmel (Jersey), extending his record to over 100 fights before he was even 20 years of age”

“There was tremendous interest in this fight between the tall, erect standing Coe and the shorter more square-on Pritchett who appeared to have more of the American about him than the average UK amateur, though he too stood bolt upright”.

“Pritchett shook Coe at the very start when he tagged him with a couple of powerful rights”. “With Wally later saying he thought he was finished there and then”. “There did indeed seem every prospect of Coe going down from one of these blows, but he spread his legs and boxed his way out of the shadows”.

“By the time the second round came round, Coe had the old pump working and out snaked that gun barrel left, a little too long at first for maximum effect but, when shortened, often bringing the English champion up with a jolt”. “And when Coe threw his first serious right cross, it fairly exploded on Pritchett's chin and the New Zealand heads began to wag amongst the spectators”.

“Pritchett, now taking his share of punishment, realised that Coe was a puncher worthy of his own steel and, after leading in with his left, was seen to grapple with Coe and hold on”. “English born Australian referee George Abrahart, one of the superior third men in the ring at the tournament, was very quickly onto this and there came two cautions”.

“Coe was getting stronger and had come right back into the fight, an intensely interesting affair that had the hall split down the middle on who was ahead. He had lost the first round, taken the second, which meant that little if anything between this well-matched and talented pair as the vital third round came up”. “Pritchett continued to force the fight but was hanging on after he had fired his leads, apprehensive of the counter, and this time he was warned. I believe it was this warning, which eventually influenced the judges in this very close contest”.

“Coe had now stepped up the pace noticeably and, with all the stops out punished Pritchett with some trip-hammer rights. One of these in my opinion put the Englishmen down, but the referee was unsighted and when Pritchett jumped straight to his feet, Mr Abrahart apparently treated it as a slip”. “The fight finished in a blaze of two-handed punching from both fighters and a 4-1 decision for Coe, even with dissenting judge (Dr Hirschman, a South African) having the points dead even”.

1962 Commonwealth Games – Perth, Australia

Featherweight             Turori (Toro) George (Auckland)                  Bronze Medal

                                    ???????????????????

Lightweight:               Paddy Donovan (Hawkes Bay)                      Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – T Hopkins (Papua New Guinea)  RSC 1

                                    Lost – A Juma (Kenya)                                  

Welterweight:             Wally Coe (Wellington)                                  Gold Medal

                                    Defeated – Muhammad Sharif (Pakistan)       Points

                                    Defeated – C Rice (Northern Ireland)            Points

                                    Defeated – J Pritchett (England)                     Points

Light Heavyweight:    John Logan (Greymouth)

                                    Lost – R Holmes (Jamaica)                             Points

Heavyweight:              Bill Kini (Auckland)                                       Silver Medal

                                    Defeated – G Robinson (Australia)                Points

                                    Lost – G Oywello (Uganda)                           Points

Coach:                         W Cammick (Auckland)

Kingston Jamaica in 1966, saw back to back Gold medals for New Zealand, with Bill Kini going one better than the 1962 Perth Games, winning the ultimate prize. Bill was another that was passed over for Olympic selection, during a time when the New Zealand Olympic selection committee after each sport made their nominations, decided the final team.

One of New Zealand all time great boxers Brain Kendall, suffered a narrow defeat in his semi-final contest against Australian Denis Norwood, to secure a Bronze medallion.

1966 Commonwealth Games – Kingston, Jamaica

Flyweight:                   Wayne Young (Auckland)

                                    Lost – F Scott (Canada)                                  Points

Bantamweight:            Brian Kendall (Canterbury)                            Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – N Virabhak (Singapore)               Points

                                    Defeated – C Henry (Jamaica)                        Points

                                    Lost – D Norwood (Australia)                        Points (3-2)

Lightweight:               Paul Domney (Wellington)

                                    Lost – R Porteous (Scotland)                          Points

Heavyweight:              Bill Kini (Auckland)                                       Gold Medal

                                    Defeated – J Coker (Sierra Leone)                 Walkover

                                    Defeated – D McAlinden (Northern Ireland) Points

                                    Defeated – A Ray (Ghana)                             Points

Coach:                         Dick Dunn (Hutt Valley)

The 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games was just the second time Kiwi boxers returned home empty handed, albeit with the smallest team sent of just Brian Kendall and Ali Afakasi.

Brian Kendall could be considered unlucky to lose on a 3-2 split decision against a Pakistani opponent. The team was managed by long time Canterbury boxing mentor Wally Darrell.

It is worth remembering that Brian Kendall was one of the best boxers to have been produced in New Zealand. Brian retired with an outstanding career record of have won 102 of his 107 bouts. A record that is unparalleled is that Brian was never beaten in a New Zealand championship bout.  He contested 18 championship bouts winning every single contest.

1970 Commonwealth Games – Edinburgh, Scotland

Featherweight:                        Brian Kendall (Canterbury)

                                    Defeated – P Yang (Papua New Guinea)       Points

                                    Lost – S Mir (Pakistan)                                   Points 3-2

Welterweight:             Ali Afakasi (Auckland)

                                    Lost – J Olulu (Kenya)                                   Points

Coach:                         Wally Darrell (Christchurch)

In 1974, the Commonwealth Games returned to New Zealand for the second time, with the Commonwealth sporting festival being held in Christchurch.

A Kiwi team of nine was selected. While four medals were won by the New Zealand boxers, there was some disappointment that the nine strong team didn’t win gold.

Hutt Valley Heavyweight Bill Byrne had the misfortune of being injured in his semi-final victory over his Nigerian opponent. Bill was forced to watch William Knight (England) receive the gold on a walkover decision, after being ruled unfit to box by the medical panel.

Robert Colley, Lance Revell and Les Rackley Jnr won Bronze medals.

1974 Commonwealth Games – Christchurch, New Zealand

Bantamweight:            Warren Karaitiana (Masterton)

                                    Lost – Tuifagalilo Uiliata (Western Samoa)   Points

Featherweight:                        Derek Wilson (Canterbury)

                                    Lost – Samuel Mbugua (Kenya)                     RSC 2cut eye

Lightweight:               Robert Colley (Wellington)                            Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – Vaka Rima (Cook Islands)           Points

                                    Defeated – Robert Moepi (Lesotho)               Points

                                    Lost – Ayub Kalule (Uganda)                        Points

Light Welterweight:    David Jackson (Wellington)

                                    Defeated – Matekihelea Lui (Tonga)              Points

                                    Lost – Anthony Martey (Ghana)                    Points

Welterweight:             Ronald Jackson (Wellington)

                                    Defeated – Raymond Taefu (Western Samoa) KO 2

                                    Lost – Steven Cooney (Scotland)                   Points

Light Middleweight:   Lance Revill (Auckland)                                Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – John Langol (Uganda)                  RSC 2

                                    Defeated – Utufiu Vaili (Western Samoa)      Points

                                    Lost – Alexander Harrison (Scotland)            Points

Middleweight:            Les Rackley Jnr (Nelson)                                Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – Mustapher Wasajja (Uganda)      KO 1

                                    Lost – Julius Luipa (Zambia)                          Points

Light Heavyweight:    Bill Byrne (Wellington)                                  Silver Medal

                                    Defeated – Paul Thompson (Papua New Guinea) RSC 2

                                    Defeated – Isaac Ikhuoria (Nigeria)                Points

                                    Lost – William Knight (England)                   Walkover

Heavyweight:              Fisi Brown (Wellington)

                                    Defeated – Sylvester Onyango (Kenya)         Points

                                    Lost – Benson Masanda (Uganda)                 Points

Coach:                         Les Rackley (Nelson)

Assistant Coach:         Bob Elley

Manager:                     Bill Scott (Wellington)

There would have been disappointment with the return of just a Bronze medal, at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton in Canada. George Stankovich, who won bronze in Edmonton, made his mark in the short time he was in the amateur ranks.

In a short career of only 25 amateur contests, the Auckland fighter had spectacular success. Trained by Gerry Preston, 1978 was the year for George as he won Auckland, New Zealand and Oceania gold, along with the bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games. He is also remembered for several action packed bouts with Bill Byrne. In 1979 he represented Oceania at the World Cup losing in the quarterfinals.

After not being selected for the 1980 Moscow Olympics (which New Zealand eventually boycotted) Stankovich turned professional. He won the New Zealand professional heavyweight title, stopping giant Tongan boxer Young Sekona in the seventh round.

1978 Commonwealth Games – Edmonton, Canada

Light Welterweight:    Apelu Ioane (Wellington)

                                    Defeated – Alston Cameron (Jamaica)           Points

                                    Lost – Mwangi (Kenya)                                  ?

Welterweight:             David Jackson (Wellington)

                                    Lost – Anthony Feal (Wales)                          KO 1

Light Middleweight:   Ronald Jackson (Wellington)

                                    Lost – Ropati Samu (Western Samoa)            Points

Middleweight:            Perry Rackley (Nelson)

                                    Lost – Delroy Parkes (England)                     Points

Light Heavyweight:    Dean Rackley (Nelson)

                                    Lost – Vincent Smith (England)                     Points

Heavyweight:              George Stankovich (Auckland)                      Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – Joseph Kabegi (Kenya)                Points

                                    Lost – Joe Awome (England)                         Points

Coach:                         Alan Scaife (Hutt Valley)

Manager:                     Bill Scott (Wellington)

The return at the 1982 Games in Brisbane was also disappointing, with just a Bronze medal to Ken Barry Jnr. The Canterbury boxer had the misfortune to be injured in his semi-final bout, giving his opponent a free card to the final.

However three of the team that wore the black singlet in Brisbane, were members of one of the most successful Kiwi boxing team to leave New Zealand. In 1983 five boxers were selected for the first Commonwealth Championships held in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Coached by Kevin Barry senior, the team returned with two gold and silver medals apiece. Michael Kenny and Kevin Barry junior, won gold in the heavyweight and light heavyweight ranks respectively. Billy Meehan and Michael Sykes made the finals but had to settle for silver, both being defeated by the Commonwealth Games Gold Medallists.

1982 Commonwealth Games – Brisbane, Australia

Bantamweight:            Peter Warren (Southland)

                                    Lost – Roy Webb (Northern Ireland)             KO 2

Featherweight:                        William Meehan (Manawatu)

                                    Defeated – Leo Ruru (Papua New Guinea)    RSC 2

                                    Lost – Peter Konyegwachie (Nigeria)                        Points 5-0

Lightweight:               Michael Sykes (Rotorua)

                                    Lost – Brian Tink (Australia)                          Points 5-0

Light Welterweight:    Apelu Ioane (Wellington)

                                    Lost – Christopher Ossai (Nigeria)                 Points 5-0

Welterweight:             Steven Renwick (Wellington)

                                    Lost – Chris Pyatt (England)                          Points 5-0

Light Heavyweight:    Kevin Barry Jnr (Canterbury)                         Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – Irwin Ah Hoy (Western Samoa)   Points 5-0

                                    Defeated – Raphae Mudire (Kenya)               Points 5-0-cut eye

                                    Lost – Jonathon Kirisa (Uganda)                    Walkover

Coach:                         Les Rackley Snr (Nelson)

Manager:                     Trevor Mitchell (Wellington)

Jimmy Peau trained by Gerry Preston in Mangere, completed the New Zealand Gold Medal Heavyweight trifecta, at the 1986 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games. Three National Heavyweight and one Super Heavyweight title, were just part of a record that included 88 wins from 97 amateur contests. After winning a bronze medal at the 1987 World Cup, Jimmy embarked on a long and sterling professional career.

What made the Auckland boxers Gold medal success more meritorious, was that both bouts ended inside the regulation time. Jimmy Peau’s Gold medal in Scotland was the third won by a New Zealand Heavyweight boxer, following Frank Creagh in 1950 and Bill Kini in 1966.

1986 Commonwealth Games – Edinburgh, Scotland

Bantamweight:            Shane Buckley (Auckland)

                                    Lost – Colin Evans (Canada)                          Points 3-2

Featherweight:                        John Wallace (Southland)                              Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – John Mkangala (Malawi)              Points 4-1

                                    Lost – Bill Downey (Canada)                         RSC 3

Light Welterweight:    Apelu Ioane (Wellington)

                                    Lost – David Clencie (Australia)                    Points 3-2

Light Heavyweight:    Raeli Raeli (Auckland)

                                    Lost – Brent Rosolofski (Canada)                  Points 5-0

Heavyweight:              Jimmy Peau (Auckland)                                 Gold Medal

                                    Defeated – Dominic D’Amico (Canada)        KO 3

                                    Defeated – Douglas Young (Scotland)           KO 3

Coach:                         Kevin Barry Snr (Christchurch)

Manager:                     Trevor Mitchell (Wellington)

In 1990, the Commonwealth Games were staged in New Zealand for the third time, returning to Auckland for a second visit. Expectations were high, with the final Kiwi tally being a Gold Medal and two Bronze.

Michael Kenny won New Zealand boxing’s fifth Gold medal in Auckland. The Wellington pugilist had previously taken a Commonwealth Championships title and win lose or draw, Auckland was to be his swan song. In front of a vocal home crowd, Michael had two easy points victories over Kevin McCormack (Wales) and Vern Linklater (Canada) in the Super Heavyweight division to reach the final.

Facing a man mountain from Ghana in Liada Alhassen, the Kiwi representative won a unanimous decision in front of a patriotic and ecstatic home crowd. Two more medals were awarded to the kiwi boxers, with Nigel Anderson and Andy Creery having bronze placed around their necks.

1990 – Commonwealth Games – Auckland, New Zealand

Bantamweight:            Danny Masterton (Auckland)

                                    Lost – Geronimo Bie (Canada)                      RSC R1

Lightweight:               David Wickenden (Auckland)

                                    Lost – Godfrey Nyakana (Uganda)                RSC R2

Light Welterweight:    Nuka Wood (Northland)

                                    Lost – Michael Smyth (Wales)                       RSC R1

Welterweight:             Danny Morris (Canterbury)

                                    Lost – Alfred Ankamah (Ghana)                    RSC R2

Light Middleweight:   Andrew Creery (Waikato)                              Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – Gopal Devang (India)                  Points 4-1

                                    Defeated – Mervyn Penniston (Trinidad)       KO – R2

                                    Lost – Raymond Downey (Canada)               RSC R2

Middleweight:            Michael Bell (Canterbury)

                                    Defeated – Mtendere Makalamba (Malawi)   Points 5-0

                                    Lost – Mark Edwards (England)                    RSC R3

Light Heavyweight:    Nigel Anderson (Wellington)                         Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – Andrew Caulfield (Scotland)       Points 5-0

                                    Defeated – Monty Wright (England)              Walkover

                                    Lost – Dale Brown (Canada)                          Points 4-1

Super Heavyweight:   Michael Kenny (Canterbury)                          Gold Medal

                                    Defeated – Kevin McCormack (Wales)          Points 5-0

                                    Defeated – Vernon Linklater (Canada)          Points 5-0

                                    Defeated – Laidi Alhassan (Ghana)                Points 5-0

Coach:                         Dr John McKay (Auckland)

Assistant Coach:         Peter Bell (Christchurch)

Manager:                     Nuki Johnson (Taupo)

Kalolo Fiaui and Trevor Shailer both won Bronze medals, in the Lightweight and Light Welterweight division, at the 1994 Games in Victoria, Canada.

1994 Commonwealth Games – Victoria, Canada

Lightweight:               Kalolo Fiaui (Whakatane)                              Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – Linus Murabwa (Zimbabwe)        Points 21-6

                                    Defeated – Andrew Green (England)             RSC R1

                                    Defeated – Joseph Zabalky (Australia)           Points 14-12

                                    Lost – Mike Strange (Canada)                        Points 2-12

Light Welterweight:    Trevor Shailer (Manawatu)                            Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – Jailosi Minjale (Malawi)              Points 22-3

                                    Defeated – Francisco Kivalu (Tonga)             Points 12-3

                                    Lost – Mark Winter (Northern Ireland)          Points 7-11

Welterweight:             Colin Hunia (Rotorua)

                                    Lost – Eromosele Albert (Nigeria)                 Points 2-7

Middleweight:            Sam Leuii (Auckland)

                                    Lost – David Nuathi (Botswana)                    KO 1

Coach:                         Sinbad Iva (Wellington)

Kiwi Heavyweight Garth da Silva, went close to contesting the Gold and Silver contest, at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. The Christchurch boxer, cruised through his first bout stopping his Kenyan opponent and then defeating Shonket Ali from Pakistan 22-9. A narrow point’s loss to Roland Rayforme from the Seychelles resulted in da Silva being awarded the Bronze medal.

It is worth noting that Super Heavyweight Fai’i Falamoe, lost to Audley Harrison, who would go on to win Olympic Gold at the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia.

1998 Commonwealth Games – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Banatamweight:          Noah Lopez (Canterbury)

                                    Lost – Tebazalwa Abdu (Uganda)                 RSC R2

Lightweight:               Kalolo Fiaui (Whakatane)

                                    Lost – Dennis Zimba (Zambia)                       Points 4-7

Light Welterweight:    Robert Walker (Rotorua)

                                    Lost – Gerry Le Gras (Seychelles)                  Points 2-23

Middleweight:            Darryl Lichtwark (Waikato)

                                    Lost – Ian Foster (Scotland)                           Points 7-9

Heavyweight:              Garth da Silva (Auckland)                              Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated – Frederick Oracho (Kenya)            RSC R1

                                    Defeated – Shonket Ali (Pakistan)                 Points 22-9

                                    Lost – Roland Rayforme (Seychelles)            Points 13-15

Super Heavyweight:   Fai’i Falamoe (Auckland)

                                    Lost – Audley Harrison (England)                 Points 3-8

Manager:                     Reece Facoory (Auckland)

Coach:                         Dr John McKay (Auckland)

Welterweight Daniel Codling and Heavyweight Shane Cameron, added to the New Zealand Bronze medal tally, at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England. Both boxers won two bouts apiece before bowing out in the semi-finals.

2002 Commonwealth Games – Manchester, England

Light Welterweight     Daniel Headifen (Wellington)

Lost Sheldon Rudolph (Jamaica)                    20-20 countback

Welterweight              Daniel Codling (Auckland)                            Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated Victor Masunga (Zimbabwe)          RSC R2

                                    Defeated Olanrewaju Wkundayo (Nigeria)    37-24

                                    Lost Daniel Geale (Australia)                         27-13

Light Middleweight    Kahukura Bentson (Auckland)                      

                                    Lost Junior Greenidge (Barbados)                  31-25

Heavyweight               Shane Cameron (Fielding)                              Bronze Medal

                                    Defeated Artaga Solomon (Nigeria)               RSC R2

                                    Defeated Kerrom Spied (Jamaica)                  42-23

                                    Lost Jason Douglas (Canada)                         RSC

Coach                          Dr John McKay (Auckland)

Manager                      Reece Facoory (Auckland)

2006 Commonwealth Games – Melbourne, Australia

Featherweight             Jamie Gardiner (Wellington) 

Lost Richarno Colin (Mauritius)                     28-12

Light Welterweight     Carl Commons (Christchurch)

                                    Defeated Osgood Kayuni (Malawi)                29-22

                                    Lost Moses Mathengi (Kenya)                       29-18

Welterweight              Joe Blackbourn (Wellington)

                                    Lost Kristofer Carlaw (Scotland)                   34-28

Middleweight             Kahukura Bentson (Auckland)

                                    Defeated Junior Greenidge Barbados)           RSC R1

                                    Lost James Degale (England)                         RSC

Light Heavyweight     Soulan Pownceby (Christchurch)

                                    Lost Glen Hunter (Canada)                            33-19

Super Heavyweight    Greg Weenik (Wellington)

                                    Defeated Niko Vaega (Western Samoa)         18-9

                                    Lost David Price (England)                            RSC R2

Coach                          Henry Schuster (Fielding)

Manager                      Alan Dickey (Christchurch)

2010 Commonwealth Games – Delhi, India

Lightweight                Angus Donaldson (Palmerston North)

                                    Defeated Ensa Jammel (Gambia)                   7-1

                                    Lost to Mark O’Hara (Northern Ireland)        0-6

Light Welterweight     Anthony Taylor (Tauranga)   

                                    Defeated Mokhachane Moshoeshoe (Lesota) 5-2

                                    Lost to Bradley Saunders (England)               0-10

Middleweight             Nathan McEwan (Christchurch)

                                    Defeated Lungile Dyamdeki (Lesoto)            5-3

                                    Lost to Eamonn O’Kane (Northern Ireland)  2-9

Light Heavyweight     Reece Papuni (Christchurch)

                                    Defeated Travis Tapatuitoa (Niue)                 5-1

                                    Lost to Thomas McCarthy (N Ireland)           2-7

Heavyweight               David Aloua (Tauranga)

                                    Lost to Elly Ochola (Kenya)                           2-15

Super Heavyweight    Joseph Parker (Auckland)

                                    Defeated Didrer (Canada)                              14-7

                                    Lost to Adul Hagg (Trinidad)                         7-7 (count-back)

The 2014 Commonwealth Games are entitled to be called the “Best Commonwealth Games Ever for Kiwi Boxers”, with the team winning Gold and Silver at the same Com Games, which repeated the 1962 performances in Perth, Australia. To add icing to the cake the kiwi pugilists won a record 14 bouts, which surpassed the 10 contests awarded to New Zealand boxers at the Games in Christchurch in 1974.

New Zealand has won six Gold Medals and six Silver Medallions, since New Zealand boxers first fought at the (then) Empire Games in Sydney in 1938. David Nyika’s Gold in Glasgow came after a record number of five bouts, while David Light entered the ring on four occasions to earn a Silver medal.

2014 Commonwealth Games – Glasgow, Scotland

Lightweight                Chad Milnes (Auckland)

                                    Defeated Sura Chaka (Bangladesh                 3-0

                                    Defeated Lazarus Shaningwa (Namibia)        3-0

                                    Lost Joesph Cordina (Wales)                          3-0

Light Welterweight     Leroy Hindley (Wellington)

                                    Defeated Mohammad Al Amin (Bangladesh) 3-0

                                    Defeated Rashield Williams (Bahamas)         TKO R3

                                    Lost Junias Jones (Namibia)                           3-0

Welterweight              Bowyn Morgan (Canterbury)                        

                                    Defeated Lewis Benson (Scotland)                2-1

                                    Defeated Mmusi Tswiige (Botswana)            2-1

                                    Lost Scott Fitzgerald (England)                     2-1

Middleweight             Eric Finau (Auckland)           

                                    Defeated Sosefo Falekaono (Tonga)               3-0

                                    Lost Siphiwe Lusizi (South Africa)                3-0

Light Heavyweight     David Nyika (Hamilton)                                 Gold Medal

                                    Defeated Luvuyo Sizani (South Africa)         2-1

                                    Defeated Scott Forrest (Scotland)                  3-0

                                    Defeated Sumit Sangwan (India)                   3-0

Defeated Sean McGlinchy (Northern Ireland) 3-0

                                    Defeated Kennedy St Pierre (Mauritius)         3-0

Heavyweight               David Light (Auckland)                                 Silver Medal

                                    Defeated Muhammad M Omar (Malaysia)     KO R2

                                    Defeated Charles Okoth (Kenya)                   3-0

                                    Defeated Stephen Lavelle (Scotland)             3-0

                                    Lost to Samir El-Mais (Canada)                     2-1

Coach                          Phillip Shatford (Christchurch)

Assistant Coach          Russell Newton (Southland)

Manager                      Dr John McKay (Auckland)

Female

Lightweight                Alexis Pritchard (Auckland)

                                    Lost to Valerian Spicer (Dominica)                3-0

Middleweight             Magan Maka (Auckland)

                                    Lost to Ariane Fortin (Canada)                      3-0

Coach                          Cameron Todd (Auckland)

New Zealand Medals at Commonwealth Games

Gold

1950    Frank Creagh (Wellington) Heavyweight

1962    Wally Coe (Wellington) Welterweight

1966    Bill Kini (Auckland) Heavyweight

1986    Jimmy Peau (Auckland) Heavyweight

1990    Michael Kenny (Wellington) Super Heavyweight

2014    David Nyika (Hamilton) Light Heavyweight

Silver

1938.     Darcy Heeney (Gisborne) Welterweight

1950    Chris Rollinson (Auckland) Light Heavyweight

            Jimmy Beal (Southland) Middleweight

1962    Bill Kini (Auckland) Heavyweight

1974    Bill Byrne (Hutt Valley) Heavyweight

2014    David Light (Auckland) Heavyweight

Bronze

1938    Ken Moran (Auckland) Featherweight

1958    Paddy Donovan (Hawkes Bay) Lightweight

1962    Paddy Donovan (Hawkes Bay) Lightweight

Toro George (Auckland) Featherweight

1966    Brian Kendall (Canterbury) Bantamweight  

1974    Robert Colley (Wellington) Lightweight

            Lance Revill (Auckland) Light Middleweight

            Les Rackley jnr (Nelson) Middleweight

1978    George Stankovich (Auckland) Heavyweight

1982    Kevin Barry jnr (Canterbury) Light Heavyweight

1986    Johnny Wallace (Southland) Featherweight

1990    Andy Creery (Waikato) Light Middleweight

            Nigel Anderson (Dannevirke) Light heavyweight

1994    Kalolo Fiaui (Whakatane) Lightweight

            Trevor Shailer (Manawatu) light Welterweight

1998    Garth da Silva (Auckland) Heavyweight

2002    Daniel Codling (Auckland) Welterweight

            Shane Cameron (Fielding) Heavyweight