Boxing New Zealand, receive a myriad of enquiries from people who had relatives who they believed boxed in the country in their younger days.

Some enquiries come with plenty of information concerning personal information, dates and titles won, others offer little detail and end up in the 'needle in a haystack file' file.

One recent request lifted the mists of time, to reveal a professional boxer who won New Zealand titles in three weight divisions, during a career that spanned 14 years in the paid to punch ranks.

Early Days in the 1940’s

Roy Stevens was born in Riverton on the 26 June 1922, fighting out of Auckland, Putaruru and Kaikohe, during the 1940's and 1950's. He compiled a 29 wins, 15 losses and a solitary draw, in a record that included the New Zealand Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight and Middleweight professional titles.

The New Zealand Boxing Association, founded in 1902, controlled both the amateur and professional arms of the sport in the country until the 1970's. The boxing administrators were volunteer elected officials, who received little remuneration, but gave of their time for the love of the sport. 

The emergence of another boxing organization in 1965, to promote professional boxing for personal gain, changed the New Zealand boxing landscape forever. Today Boxing New Zealand controls amateur boxing in the country and issues occasional professional permits - while professional boxing is run by a number of alphabet organizations. 

Professional boxing in New Zealand enjoyed its zenith during the 1940's and 1950's, with professional contests held up and down the country. There was much competition in the amateur ranks, to earn a place on the amateur card that preceded the professional contests.

Roy Stevens couldn't have entered the professional ranks on a bigger stage, in meeting Fred Southee, at the Auckland Town Hall on the 12 June 1944. Stevens entered the fight with a reported unbeaten record as an amateur, while Southee has two previous professional contests for a win and a loss.

The New Zealand Herald said of the fight "Seldom has a boxing crowd in Auckland been roused to such an extent as that which attended the Town Hall last evening. The thrill provided by two middleweight professionals, Roy's Stevens of Auckland and Fred Southee of Wellington". "The first three rounds were the fastest to seen in the Town Hall ring for a very long time". Roy Stevens won the battle of attrition, putting his opponent on the deck in the seventh round, before the referee called a halt to proceedings in the eighth round.

Six straight victories were halted, when Jack McCann reversed his earlier loss, in defeating Roy Stevens at the Wellington Town Hall during July 1945. Few professional make a start in the paid to punch ranks as Stevens, with his first six victories all requiring the intervention of the referee.

Unlike today's professional who go into weeks long training camps before emerging several time a year to engage in combat - Roy Stevens fought on nine occasions in seven months during 1945, compiling six wins and three losses. 

Championship Rounds

Roy Stevens first New Zealand Championship title challenge, was against Middleweight titleholder Cliff Hanham at the Theatre Royal in Timaru on the 27th September 1945, with Hanham retaining his title way of a points decision. 

His last fight of 1945, saw him take on Doug Rollinson at the Auckland Town Hall, where he knocked out his opponent. Rollinson would gain his revenge beating Stevens three times on points during the next two years. The October 1945 victory over Rollinson, saw Roy have his hand raised as the new Light Heavyweight champion of the country, with his opponent lying prone on the canvas after being knocked to the floor in the thirteenth round.

Stevens first bout in 1946, saw him defeat hard as nails Vic Caltaux, before adding the Middleweight crown to his Light Heavyweight title. Roy faced George Allen, for the vacant Middleweight title at the Auckland Town Hall, and was awarded the fight after his opponent was disqualified by the referee.  

Reality returned in his next bout against Bos Murphy who was out of the top drawer of the countries boxers. Murphy who fought in Europe for much of his career, won a British Empire Middleweight title along with back to back Australian and New Zealand Welterweight crowns. Roy put a brave performance before losing the fight on points.

Stevens lost his Light Heavyweight title to Doug Rollinson, in his first fight in 1947, when Rollinson earned a points decision victory at the Opera House in Gisborne. Five further bouts in 1947, resulted in Roy reversing his loss to Cliff Hanham on two occasions, interspersed with two points losses to Doug Rollinson and a win over Danny O'Keefe. 

Three fights with tough as teak Australian Jackie Marr dominated Roy Stevens boxing calendar in 1948. The Kiwi boxer won the first contest fought at the Mataura Recreation Ground by way of a points decision. Two subsequent return fights in Auckland and Wellington resulted in Marr dropping the decision. Roy opened his 1948 campaign with a notable victory, after he defeated Australian champion Ern Clingan at the Auckland Town Hall.

Stevens beat New Zealand Light Heavyweight titleholder Barney Clarke, in a non-title contest in June 1949, before relieving the champion of his crown at the Opera House in Wanganui. The victory over Clarke, saw Stevens hold two New Zealand titles, after adding the Light Heavyweight belt to his Middleweight title. 

The Gisborne Herald reported on the 28 February 1950 "The New Zealand Light Heavyweight and Middleweight champion Roy Stevens, today announced his retirement from boxing. Stevens decision to hang up his gloves, follows closely on that of National Welterweight title holder, Clarrie Gordon, who retired this month after criticizing the size of purses". "It is known that Stevens for some time been similarly dissatisfied with the remuneration he has received". 

"Stevens once previously announced his decision of quitting the ring. This was when in October 1948, after he was adjudged the loser of the bout against the Australian Jackie Marr. The decision in Marr's favour was greeted with derision. This time Stevens stated there will be no comeback".

A Return to the Ring

After a three year layoff, Roy returned to the ring against his old adversary Barney Clarke at the Mangakino Domain, on the 1^st March 1952.

Twenty-eight days after his return to the ring, Roy emerged from his 31^st professional fight with the only draw of his career, against former South Australian Heavyweight champion Ross Pippett. The Australian who crossed the ditch in 1949, engaged in 27 of his 87 professional fights in the ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’. The contest at the Putaruru Domain, saw the two contestants unable to be separated by the judges after 12 rounds of combat in the ring. Roy would meet Ross Pippett twice more, winning both bouts, including their last meeting June 1958 when Stevens wrested the NZBA Heavyweight title from his opponent.

After dispatching Jack Boyd in May 1952, Roy Stevens took another break from the sport, before emerging again four years later. The Kaikohe based fighter stepped into ring at the Auckland Town Hall, against Chub Keith, with the Heavyweight title of the Dominion on the line. The 15 round title decider was stopped by the referee in favour of the defending champion.

Stevens bounced back from the Chub Keith setback, to post victories over Henry Sadler and Jack O’Leary, before squaring off with Peter Schmidt for the now vacant NZBA Heavyweight crown. The points victory at the Kaikohe Town Hall, elevated Roy Stevens to illustrious company in winning New Zealand Boxing Association at three weight divisions. The feat had only previously been achieved by Eddie Parker, Artie Hay and Stan Jenkins  

Twenty-one days winning the countries Heavyweight title, Roy lined up again in the Fielding Drill Hall, against Charley Beaton, in an attempt to regain the Light Heavyweight crown. Beaton who numbered a win over Tuna Scanlan, who would win a Commonwealth Middleweight title in the future, proved too strong earning a point’s decision victory. Beaton proved the first Stevens win was no fluke, with the same result in August 1957.

Two further fights in 1957, resulted in Ross getting past Johnny Iefata in the first of three contests between the pair in twelve months, and then finishing his boxing year in defeating 85 fight veteran Ross Pippett.

Retirement Finally Arrives

Roy Stevens would end his career, with five fights in 1958, in which he would win and lose the NZBA Professional Heavyweight title. First-up was a Carlaw Park in Auckland meeting with Johnny Iefata, who beat the Kaikohe based fighter. Next-up it was back to Kaikohe to square off with debutant Sonny Pehi, with a point’s decision handed down by the judges to the veteran boxer.

A sold-out crowd was on hand to witness Roy Stevens third title fight in Kaikohe, with his NZBA Heavyweight crown on the line, on the 6 June 1958. The home-town hero was taking on Ross Pippett for the third time, after a win and the only draw of his career in earlier non-title fights. The Australian born fighter who had spent a good part of boxing in New Zealand, brought a wealth of experience with a 49 wins, 28 losses, 8 draw record to the title contest.

A further meeting with Johnny Iefata, with the win on points giving Roy a two – one record in their three fights, set up what was Roy Stevens last fight on the 6^th September 1958 at the Kaikohe War Memorial Hall. The NZBA Heavyweight champion put his title on the line against Sonny Pehi, who he had defeated three months earlier.

Age finally caught up with the 36 year old Roy Stevens, with Sonny Pehi stopping the champion by way of TKO. Pehi would go on to defend the Heavyweight crown against Charley Beaton and Johnny Iefata, before retiring from the sport.

Roy Stevens retirement brought to a end a remarkable career, which stretched over 14 years since he walked to the Auckland Town Hall ring on the 12^th June 1944, to touch gloves before engaging in combat with Fred Southee.

The old fashioned warhorse boxed from Kaikohe in the far north to Mataura in the Deep South, sometimes backing up within a few short weeks of his last bout. Roy fought in the ten NZBA National title fights, winning six, holding the New Zealand Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight and Middleweight titles at various stages of his career.

Roy Stevens   Professional Boxing Career 1944 – 1958

29 Wins (14 KO’s)      15 Losses         1 Draw

6 September 1958       Sonny Pehi (2-1-0) Kaikohe War Memorial Hall                      Loss -TKO

(NZBA Heavyweight Title)

7 July 1958                  Johnny Iefata (4-2-0) Kaikoke War Memorial Hall                  Win - Points

6 June 1958                 Ross Pippett (49-28-8) Kaikohe War Memorial Hall                Win - Points

(NZBA Heavyweight Title)

10 May 1958               Sonny Pehi (debut) Kaikohe War Memorial Hall                      Win - Points

27 February 1958        Johnny Iefata (3-2-0)    Carlaw Park, Auckland                         Loss - TD

14 September 1957     Ross Pippett (48-27-8) Kaikohe Recreation Hall                       Win - Points

26 August 1957            Johnny Iefata (3-1-0) Auckland Town Hall                               Win - Retirement

3 August 1957             Charley Beaton (33-14-0) Palmerston North                              Loss - Points

13 July 1957                Charley Beaton (32-14-0) Feilding Drill Hall                            Loss - Points

(Vacant NZBA Light Heavyweight Title)

22 June 1957               Peter Schmidt (1-2-0)    Kaikohe Recreation Hall                     Win - Points

(Vacant NZBA Heavyweight Title)

29 September 1956      Jack O'Leary (12-13-0) Kaikohe Recreation Hall                     Win - Points

11 August 1956            Henry Sadler (4-4-0) Kaikohe Recreation Hall.                        Win - TKO

26 May 1956                Chub Keith (7-3-0) Auckland Town Hall                                  Loss - TKO

(NZBA Heavyweight Title)

20 May 1952                Jack Boyd (6-2-0) Palmerston North Opera House                  Win-TKO

29 March 1952            Ross Pippett (46-26-7) Putaruru Domain                                  Draw

1March 1952               Barney Clarke (6-5-1) Mangakino Domain                               Win - Points

18 August 1949            Barney Clarke (5-1-1) Wanganui Opera House                        Win - Points

(NZBA Light Heavyweight title)

6 June 1949                 Barney Clarke (4-9-1) Palmerston North Opera House            Win - Points

4 April 1949                 Colin Honey (2-5-0) Auckland Town Hall                               Win - TK0

18 October 1948         Jackie Marr (27-15-3) Wellington Town Hall                            Loss - Points

5 October 1948            Laurie Peterson (37-9-2) Christchurch Civic Theatre               Loss -Points

13 September 1948      Johnnie McKenna (3-7-0) Auckland Town Hall                       Win -TK0

12 July 1948                Jackie Marr (25-15-3) Auckland Town Hall                              Loss - Points

8 May 1948                 Jackie Marr (24-14-3) Mataura Recreation Ground                  Win - Points

22 March 1948            Ern Clingan (45-10-6) Auckland Town Hall                             Win - Points

29 November 1947      Doug Rollinson (9-7-0) Petone Recreation Ground                  Loss - Points

25 August 1947            Cliff Hanahan (17-10-2) Invercargill Civic Theatre                 Win - Points

16 August 1947            Danny O'Keefe (5-9-9) Napier Municipal Theatre                   Win - Points

26 May 1947                Doug Rollinson (8-6-0) Auckland Town Hall                           Loss - Points

15 March 1947             Cliff Hanham (17-9-2) Hastings Racecourse                            Win - Points

15 February 1947         Doug Rollinson (7-6-0) Gisborne Opera House                       Loss - Points

(NZBA Light Heavyweight Title)

4 November 1946        Bobby Clarke (27-34-5) Auckland Town Hall                          Win - KO

7 October 1946            Bos Murphy (14-1-0) Auckland Town Hall                              Loss - Points

27 May 1946                George Allen (6-10-0) Auckland Town Hall                            Win - DQ

(Vacant Middleweight Title)

29 April 1946               Vic Caltaux (31-28-2)  Auckland Town Hall                            Win - TKO

29 October 1945          Doug Rollinson (5-3-0) Auckland Town Hall                           Win - KO

(NZBA Light Heavyweight Title)

13 October 1945          Bos Murphy (7-1-0) Petone Recreation Ground                       Loss - Point

27 September 1945      Cliff Hanham (13-9-2) Timaru Theatre Royal                          Loss -Points

(NZBA Middleweight Title)

16 July 1945                Jack McCann (2-3-0) Wellington Town Hall                            Loss - TKO

2 July 1945                  Danny O'Keefe (debut) Auckland Town Hall                           Win - TKO

4 June 1945                 Norm Ross (1-0-0) Dunedin Town Hall                                    Win - KO

21 May 1945               Jack McCann (2-2-0) Auckland Town Hall                              Win - TKO

23 April 1945              Fred Southee (2-3-0) Auckland Town Hall                               Win - KO

9 April 1945                Jack McCann (2-1-0) Dunedin Town Hall                                Win - KO

12 June 1944               Fred Southee (1-1-0) Auckland Town Hall                               Win - TKO

Article added: Monday 13 September 2021