The two most prestigious awards at the Boxing New Zealand National Championships are the Jameson Belt and the Bill O'Connor Cup.

The Jameson Belt is awarded to the most scientific senior boxer at each championships, the winner being selected by the referee and judges, officiating at the showcase of amateur boxing in the country. The Nationals big prize was donated by the Dublin Distillery of the same name, with the first name engraved on the belt being Auckland Bantamweight Jack O'Sullivan, in 1927. 

Jack would go on to found a New Zealand thoroughbred racing dynasty, in Racing Hall of Fame trainer Dave O'Sullivan, and grandsons champion jockey Lance O'Sullivan and Honk Kong trainer Paul O'Sullivan. 

The youngest senior champion is awarded the Bill O'Connor Cup. The Bill O'Connor Cup was donated by the Waimate Boxing Association, to remember Bill O'Connor who was a well known trainer from the centre during the 1930's and 1940's.

The first winner of the Bill O'Connor Cup set a record that never will be beaten. In the days of open championships, 14 year old Paddy McNally was the first recipient of the youngest champion prize, at the Hastings Nationals in 1958.

To say that Paddy McNally developed into a character is an understatement. Paddy shifted to Australia and one stage in his life he was arrested and charged with stealing the Melbourne Cup. He lost his life in a gangland killing in Kings Cross after earlier surviving a attempt on his life when he was shot three times.

The list of Bill O'Connor Cup winners, reads like a who's who of the cream of New Zealand amateur boxing, with a number of winners going on to Olympic (David Tua, David Nyika) and Commonwealth Games (Brian Kendall, Les Rackley, Kalolo Fiaui, David Nyika) medal success.

This narrative looks at the eight boxers who have won the Jameson Belt/Bill O'Connor Cup double in the same year.

Six years after Paddy McNally won the Bill O'Connor prize for the first time, Wellington Light Welterweight Billy Graham added the Jameson Belt to his Nationals victory. Graham would go on to earn the Light Welterweight trophy of the Geoff Watchorn Belt, on a further three occasions, adding the Bill O'Connor Cup two additional times. 

Billy won his first Light Welter senior crown, when he beat teammate John Wray at the 1964 Wellington National Championships. Two years later in Rotorua, his second senior title came after he defeated Euan Mills, before winning back to back titles, after dispatching Hawkes Bays Mike Tracy at the 1967 Greymouth championships. 

A silver medal was Billy's reward in 1969, when he was beaten by future Australian professional Welterweight champion and Commonwealth title challenger Ali Afakasi. Nelson's 1972 titles, saw Billy win his fourth Light Welterweight prize in beating three-time Light Welter runner-up, Fusi Feau.

Billy Graham is the only boxer to have won the three senior special trophies, being the Jameson Belt, Bill O’Connor Cup and the Parker Memorial Trophy (best losing performance).

Throughout his career, Graham had legendary Hutt Valley trainer Dick Dunn in his corner. Dick boxed as an amateur winning the Hutt Valley lightweight title in 1934. In 1935, his father suggested that he begin training boxers. He opened the Railway gymnasium in the Hutt Valley and commenced a training career that spanned over fifty years. 

Sixteen New Zealand senior champions and two Commonwealth Games champions, were guided and coached by the doyen of trainers. Two of Dick’s protégés, nephew Wally Coe, and his brother Tom Dunn also won the Jameson Belt.

Just two years after Billy Graham's Jameson Belt/Bill O'Connor Cup double, Nelson boxer Jeff Rackley achieved the same rare feat, when he beat Darryl Hammond in the 1969 National Featherweight final. The achievements of the four Rackley brothers was outstanding with all four representing New Zealand at the Olympic or Commonwealth Games.

Jeff Rackley, trained by father  Les, was the first to put the Rackley name in annuals of the senior championship ledger. Jeff went on to add the Lightweight crown in 1970, two Welterweight titles during the 1971 and 1972 season and signed off with the Middleweight title at the 1975 Wellington Nationals.

Such was the skill of Jeff Rackley in the ring that he was twice more awarded the Jameson Belt (1971/72) to add to his first in 1969. He earned selection at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, with international success including a gold medal at the inaugural Oceania Championships held in Tahiti in1972.

The third winner of the most scientific/youngest titleholder also came from a fighting family. Danny Meehan burst on to the big stage, in taking out the NZBA Bantamweight title at 1980 Invercargill Nationals.

Trained by Malcolm Nicol out of his Palmerston North gymnasium, Danny backed up his first senior title going back to back in beating Auckland's Shane Buckley, who would find Bantamweight title success in 1984 and 1985. 

The Meehan name has become an indelible part of BNZ history, with Danny’s nephew Billy Meehan, setting a record that will probably never be broken, of nine Featherweight titles from 1979 to retirement after the Christchurch National championships in 1990.

Billy Meehan won the Bill O’Connor Cup and the Jameson Belt (but not in the same year). The Manawatu boxer’s youngest titleholder award, came at the 1982 National Championships held in Upper Hutt, with the Jameson Belt awarded to Billy three years later.

Jason Eade, who had dreams of making it to the 1992 Olympic Games cut short when he lost a leg in a motorcycle accident in1991, turned his inspirational determination to his career and other sports.

Trained by Peter Bell, Jason completed the Jameson/Bill O'Connor trophy double at the 1988 Upper Hutt Nationals. Eade beat Nuka Wood, who would go to win the 1991 and 1993 Welterweight crown, in the Light Welterweight Final.

Early indications of the then Bill Enright trained boxer’s potential came in 1984, when Jason won the Junior Bantamweight title, accompanied by the NZ Boxing Council Cup awarded to the most scientific junior pugilist at the national championships. Two Intermediate Light Welterweight titles followed before he successfully made the leap into senior competition.

Recognition of excellence in the workplace came when he twice won Australasian's top concierge award. New Zealand representation in para-Olympic sports and a place in the World Cup of Disable Golf continued his love of sport, which continues to the present day.

Next time we will continue, with two brothers from a legendary Hutt Valley boxing family, a West Coast coal miner and a double Commonwealth Games champion - all who claimed the elusive Jameson Belt & Bill O'Connor double in the same year.

Jameson Belt & Bill O’Connor Cup Double

Year    Location           Category                     Winner                                      Coach

1967    Greymouth      L/Welterweight              Billy Graham (Wellington)         Dick Dunn

1969    Gisborne          Featherweight               Jeff Rackley (Nelson)                  Les Rackley

1980    Invercargill      Bantamweight               Danny Meehan (Manawatu)       Malcolm Nicol

1988    Upper Hutt       L/Middleweight            Jason Eade (Canterbury)             Peter Bell

Article added: Saturday 19 February 2022