As the Central North Island Boxing Association prepares to host the Boxing New Zealand National Championships in Tauranga 4-8 July 2023 - it is surprise to learn that it just the second time that the country's sixth largest city has hosted the 'Nationals'.

Tauranga's first time to stage the Boxing New Zealand showcase came 89 years after the (then) New Zealand Boxing Association, was established in 1902.

The 1991 National Championships held in Tauranga, were put on by a local group headed by Denny Enright and the late Graham Rolls, who staged the showcase event under the auspices of the Central North Island Boxing Association.

It is likely that boxing was introduced to Tauranga during the New Zealand Wars, in the 1860's, when the British Militia established the Momouth Redoubt, overlooking today's CBD.

Perusal of the National Library Papers Past online, reveal that the Bay of Plenty Times mentioned boxing in 1887. "The Tauranga Gymnastic Club will hold an athletic tournament at the Harrington Street hall on Thursday 25th August 1887”. “The program includes horse parallel bars, boxing melee (fights), Indians clubs, fencing, bayonet drill and God Save the Queen."

The Bay of Plenty Times carried an item dated 16 August 1911. “A meeting, convened for the purpose of establishing a Boxing Club in Tauranga, was held in Messrs Norris and Bells rooms last night. - - - The following officers were elected: President Mr W Herries MP - - -". It is interesting to note the patronage that boxing received in those long forgotten times, with the election of a well respected Member of Parliament, to the position of President.

Tauranga boxing received plenty of newspaper coverage in the 1920's. The New Zealand Professional Welterweight title contest held on the 29th December 1921, between Jock Graham (Auckland) and F (Sailor) Brown, received extensive print coverage throughout the Dominion.

The 1940's and 1950's was the golden age of boxing in New Zealand, with the Western Bay of Plenty being no exception. The return of the countries WW2 servicemen, and the emergence of young men looking to supplement their rugby season preparation, saw boxing gyms throughout Aotearoa full to overflowing.

The Western Bay of Plenty region of Tauranga and Mount Maunganui were then little more than sleepy hamlets, with Tauranga having just 5750 residents in 1947. By comparison Rotorua was the seat of local government with 9000 citizens with Hamilton having big-city status of twenty-four thousand people.

One local senior boxer to capture the Bay of Plenty Times and Te Puke Times attention, was Mount Maunganui bantamweight, Neville Hastings.

Winning the Auckland bantamweight title, which ranked second only to the national crown, propelled Hastings into the local newspapers headlines. His two bouts with Auckland featherweight title holder Vic Gummer, in Te Puke during 1947, grabbed many inches of newspaper coverage. Gummer went on to become a highly respected Auckland boxing trainer.

The first Western Bay of Plenty pugilist to win a national title was Gerry (Gerald) Simms from Mount Maunganui. The 1958 Nationals in Hastings, saw Simms get past Brian Said from Wellington in the heavyweight division, to book a place in the title decider.

Gerry squared off against hometown favourite Henry Bristowe in the final, and was rewarded with a points decision, to give the Tauranga Boxing Association their first national crown.

Just two years later, another Tauranga Boxing Association boxer in David Black, was crowned the 1960 light middleweight national champion. Black lined up in a highly competitive division at NZBA nationals held in Auckland.

First up he got past Wellington's Robert Jackson before beating Sua Brown from Auckland in the semifinals. Black's opponent in the final was 1958 light middleweight champion Lex Ashton from Timaru. After a stirring three rounds of nonstop action David Black's hand was raised in victory.

It took 31 years after David Black’s national victory before another Tauranga region boxer won a national crown (more about that in the future).

Article added: Monday 06 March 2023