Over the years I have attended twenty plus BNZ National Championships, since my first, hosted by the Auckland Boxing Association in 1989.

Even today the venue chosen by the ABA seems 'outside the square’. The 1989 Nationals where held at the  Wrightson Bloodstock Sales venue which today is known as the NZ Bloodstock Karaka Sales Centre.

While on the periphery of the sport in 1989 - the choice of a thoroughbred selling arena seemed a strange choice to hold a sporting national championships.

Looking back thirty six years, in my opinion, this is the best nationals venue I have been to. With the ring set on the floor of the auditorium, the tiered seating ensured that all the boxing fans had a interrupted view of the action, no matter where they sat.

Waikato boxing indemnity, the late Bill White of Hamilton Catering, took over the delivery of food and drink in the bars and eating spaces, that had a host of televisions to catch the non-stop action.

It is worth recalling the senior champions on Finals night on the 31st August 1989. Through rose tinted glasses some 36 years later, it was a vintage crop of boxers that won the ten senior titles on offer at Karaka.

There was extra pressure on the senior boxers, with selection on the line for the 1990 Commonwealth Games, that were held in Auckland in January.

Super Heavyweight, Michael Kenny, earned selection for the Commonwealth Games when he won the big boys grade in the Auckland province. Michael would go on to cover himself with glory at the Commonwealth event, when he won our country's only boxing gold medal in the Super Heavyweight division. His gold medal was New Zealand's fifth  Commonwealth boxing title before the David Nyika double in 2014 and 2018.

David Tua, who was only sixteen and hardly known outside the top half of the North Island, made the boxing aficionados sit up and take notice when he hammered Karl Meehan into defeat in the Heavyweight final. 

It needs few words words to describe the heights that David Tua scaled in professional heavyweight boxing. A measure of David's success, was that his opponent who boxed under the moniker of Karli Meehan was just off the top tier of professional heavyweights of his era.

Suffice to say that David will be remembered in the amateur ranks for his Olympic and World Championships Bronze medal, both achieved before his twentieth birthday.

Light Heavyweight champion, Nigel Anderson, was another who would go on to perform on the big stage. His 1989 title earned him a Commonwealth Games berth where he won a Bronze medallion.

Michael Bell, who was another from Canterbury Bell family boxing production line, had his name engraved on the Middleweight trophy of the Cleverley Belt. Michael had no easy road to the Middleweight crown, having to overcome the tenacity of Bob Casio in the last bout in his division. Such was his performances at Karaka that he was awarded the prestigious Jameson Belt. The Jameson prize wrote his ticket to the Auckland Commonwealth Games.

Waikato representative, Andy Creery, was another to wear the black singlet at the 1990 Commonwealth tournament. He dispatched Sililo Figota in the Light Middleweight division final, who would win a Bronze Medal for Western Samoa, at the 1990 Commonwealth event. Creery repeated the Figota feat by winning the other Commonwealth Games Light Middleweight bronze medallion.

The Canterbury pair of Danny Morris and Dean Calvert won the respective Welter and Light Welterweight titles. Dean Calvert had overcome Nuka Woods from the far north who later would win two welterweight crowns. Danny Morris joined the list of 1989 champions selected to enter the ring at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.

David Wickenden, coached by the legendary Dr John McKay was in superlative form in earning the Parisian Cup presented to the Lightweight champion. David completed the list of 1989 title holders to fight at the 1990 Auckland Games.

What can you say about Featherweight champion Billy Meehan. Karaka saw him win the eighth of nine Featherweight national crowns when he beat Auckland hard-nut Shane Samuels. Billy set a record with nine national titles in the one weight division, that is unlikely to ever be beaten.

Colin Adamson had a real fight on his hands before taking home his fourth successive Bantamweight title. He had to take his boxing skills to the extreme limit before overcoming Danny Masterson. 

NZBA 1989 Senior National Champions

Super Heavyweight - Michael Kenny (Canterbury) – NZ Titles x 2, Oceania Gold x 4, Commonwealth Championships Gold.

Heavyweight - David Tua (Auckland) – NZ Titles x 3, Oceania Gold x 2, Olympic Bronze, World Championships Bronze.

Light Heavyweight - Nigel Anderson (Wellington) NZ Titles x 3, Oceania Gold x 1, Commonwealth Games Bronze.

Middleweight - Michael Bell (Canterbury) – NZ Titles x 3, Jameson Belt, Commonwealth Games representative.

Light Middleweight - Andy Creery (Waikato) – NZ Tiles x 2, Commonwealth Games Bronze.

Welterweight - Danny Morris (Canterbury) – NZ Title x 1, Commonwealth Games representative.

Light Welterweight - Dean Calvert (Canterbury) – NZ Title x 1, Jameson Belt.

Lightweight - David Wickenden (Auckland) – NZ Title 1, Commonwealth Games representative.

Featherweight - Billy Meehan (Manawatu) – NZ Titles x 9, Jameson Belt, Bill O’Connor Cup, Commonwealth Championships Silver, Commonwealth Games representative.

Bantamweight - Colin Adamson (Canterbury) – NZ Titles x 4, Bill O’Connor Cup x 2.

Barry Leabourn

BNZ Historian

Article added: Saturday 03 May 2025