Eight Boxing New Zealand fighters, will be following in the footsteps of Frank Creagh (1950) Wally Coe (1962) Bill Kini (1966) Jimmy Peau (1986) Michael Kenny (1990) and David Nyika (2014, 2018) who won Commonwealth Games Gold Medals - when they step into the Commonwealth Games ring in Birmingham. 

New Zealand joins five other countries in Australia, Canada, England, Scotland and Wales, who have participated at all previous twenty-one Empire/Commonwealth Games.

Seven Kiwi boxers made their Commonwealth Games debut at the 1938 Empire Games held in Sydney, Australia. Darcy Heaney returned home with a Silver Medal, with Ken Moran losing his semi-final on a toss of a coin after the bout was drawn, to be awarded a Bronze Medal. 

March 2019, saw the Boxing New Zealand preparation for the 2020 Olympic's and the 2022 Commonwealth Games, stopped dead in its tracks by the Covid 19 pandemic. Tenacity in the face of Covid adversity, saw the 2020 National Championships held in January 2021, and the 2021 edition staged during April 2022.

The two rescheduled Nationals, and the 2021 and 2022 Golden Gloves, have provided the backbone of the 2022 Commonwealth Games boxing team. However, Four Birmingham bound boxers can call on previous international success, to assist in inspiring and motivating their fellow team members

Women's 60kg entry, Troy Garton, has set her sight on nothing but Gold in Birmingham, after winning a Bronze Medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Australia. Five consecutive National titles, provide evidence of the desire for success of the Shamrock Boxing Association pugilist. 

The withdrawal of David Nyika from the Birmingham team, because of injury, has opened the door, for current Middleweight champion Emile Richardson to replace the double Commonwealth Games champion. 

Richardson was a member of the successful 2019 New Zealand team tour of Europe. A Silver Medal at the prestigious Felix Stamm tournament in Poland sits astride the Manawatu boxing CV. Two Trans-Tasman Super Eight titles and a quarter-final finish at the Thailand Open add to Richardson's international success.

Wendell Stanley, wrote his own piece of Boxing New Zealand history during 2019, in winning an international title and being declared the boxer of the tournament. Wendell opened his Taipei Cup campaign in Taiwan, with a spectacular KO victory, before defeating a Chinese Taipei boxer by way of split decision, to win the Welterweight title and the Boxer of the Tournament award.

Ariane Nicholson, has travelled an unusual eight year journey to Commonwealth Games selection, from first entering the ring in a corporate boxing bout. Three National crowns and an Arafura Games gold medal, along with a Super Eight title, give proof of Arianne’s determination to succeed in Birmingham.

Arguably the most improved boxer in the last twelve months is Light Heavyweight, Onyx Lye, after achieving a rare treble at the 2021 National championships. Onyx added the Jameson Belt (most scientific) and the Bill O'Connor Cup (youngest senior champion), to the George Bush Belt awarded to the Light Heavyweight champion.

Super Heavyweight Ulia Mau'u, won what was essentially a Commonwealth Games trial at the 2022 North Island Golden Gloves, in defeating National titleholder Roma Crichton. The 2019 Super Heavyweight champions, spit decision victory, reversed the April Nationals meeting between the pair.

Double National Women's Featherweight champion Erin Walsh, took a confident step to success in the Commonwealth Games, with victory over Australian champion Tina Rahimi at a June Trans-Tasman tournament in Auckland. Walsh edged the Australian, who has also booked at berth for Birmingham, earning a 3-2 split decision.

Alex Mukuka re-inked his claim for a Commonwealth Games spot at the North Island Golden Gloves. Mukuka, laid down his claim to the best lighter-weighted boxer in the country, when the referee was forced to intervene in both his contests on the way to claiming the Featherweight title. On Saturday evening, the current 57 kilo titleholder stopped Harrison New in round two, before the referee again intervened in the second bout, against Zain Adams. 
 

Boxing New Zealand Head Coach Billy Meehan will lead the three-man coaching unit with Thomas Rangiawha and Mark Fuller appointed as assistant coaches.

The New Zealand boxing representatives left the country on Wednesday 6^th July on route for Ireland, where they will participate in a training camp. The team will enter the Commonwealth Games village on the 22^nd July with boxing commencing on 29^th July 2022.

2022 Commonwealth Games Boxing @ National Exhibition Centre Birmingham 29^th July – 7^th August 2022

New Zealand Commonwealth Games Boxing Team - Birmingham 2022

Featherweight: Alex Mukuka (Auckland)

National Titles: 2020 Lightweight 

Light Middleweight: Wendell Stanley (Auckland)

National Titles: 2021 Light Middleweight 

Major Achievements: 2019 Taipei Cup, Taiwan - Welterweight Gold Medal & Boxer of the Tournament

Middleweight: Emile Richardson (Manawatu)

National Titles: 2021 Middleweight

Major Achievements: 2019 Felix Stamm tournament, Poland - Silver Medal; 2019 Super Eight (SA, NSW) Champion; 2019 Thailand Open Quarter-Finalist.

Light Heavyweight: Onyx Lye (Manawatu)

National Titles: 2021 Light Heavyweight

Major Achievements: 2021 Jameson Belt, 2021 Bill O'Connor Cup

Super Heavyweight; Ulia Mau'u (Auckland)

National Titles: 2019 Super Heavyweight

57kg: Erin Walsh (Auckland)

National Titles: 2020, 2021 Featherweight

60kg: Troy Garton (Shamrock Boxing Association)

National Titles: 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 Lightweight; 2019 Featherweight

Major Achievements: 2018 Commonwealth Games Bronze Medal

70kg: Ariane Nicholson (Bay of Plenty)

National Titles: 2019, 2020 Welterweight; 2021 Light Middleweight

Major Achievements: 2019 Arafura Games Gold Medal; 2019 Super Eight (SA) Champion

Head Coach: Billy Meehan (Palmerston North) Assistant Coach: Thomas Rangiawha (Rotorua)

Assistant Coach: Mark Fuller (Christchurch)

New Zealand Commonwealth Games Boxing Gold Medals

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

2018    David Nyika (Hamilton) Heavyweight

Article added: Sunday 10 July 2022