The Boxing New Zealand National Championships will return to Hastings after a 26 year hiatus, when the pinnacle event on the Boxing New Zealand calendar, takes place 2-5 October 2019.

Hawkes Bay will be hosting the New Zealand amateur championships for the fifth time, following on from the 1920 titles in Hastings, with Napier hosting the pinnacle event on the city’s only occasion in 1926. During 1934 and 1958, the Nationals re-visited Hastings with the last Hastings Nationals held 10^th and 11^th September 1993.

The 1993 Hastings championships, featured the first of two successive Nationals battles for the Parisian Cup, between Auckland’s Danny Masterson and Kalolo Fiaui from Central North Island. While Danny Masterson won the New Zealand Lightweight crown in Hastings, such was the high standard of the title decider - that Masterson was awarded the National Championships supreme award of the Jameson Belt, with Fiaui receiving the Parker Memorial for the most courageous senior losing performance of the championships . The Central North Island boxer reversed the Hastings loss at the Christchurch Nationals the following year.

A feature of the Hastings Nationals, were the number of senior champions who won multiple titles during the 1990’s. Super Heavyweight titleholder Faii Falamoe, who defeated Karl Meehan, won four successive National titles with his first coming at the Hastings Nationals.

Both Super Heavyweight finalists would go on to make their mark in sterling professional careers. In a short and sharp pro career, Falamoe posted an eight win, four loss and one draw record, which included four victories in the United States. Karli Meehan’s time in the punch for cash ranks, stretched from 1997 until he was defeated by Joseph Parker in 2015, where he put together an outstanding 46-6-0 record including a defeat of the “Mountain Warrior” Shane Cameron.

Ene Aukoso, earned his sole New Zealand title when he won the 1993 Heavyweight crown, defeating Manawatu’s Mark Wilson in an absorbing battle. Canterbury Light Heavyweight Greg Bell, triumphed with the second of his three National titles, defeating Lawrence Thorogood from Auckland.

Auckland Middleweight Sam Leuii dominated the Middleweight ranks in the early to mid 1990’s, winning the third of his middleweight crowns in Hastings, after defeating team-mate Timo Masua.

Two of the genuine characters of New Zealand amateur boxing in the 1990’s, fought out the Light Middleweight title at the Hawkes Bay Nationals, when the Rex Jenkins trained Colin Hunia defeated Stephen Wood. Both boxers would finish their time in the amateur ranks with multiple titles. Colin Hunia won three successive Lightweight championships in 1983, 84, 85 and added the Light-Middle and Welterweight big prizes in 1993 and 1994. Woodsy won the first of back-to-back Light Middle titles in 1994, before earning the Middleweight crown in 1998.

Nuka Wood from the Far North won his second Welterweight title in the Hastings ring - with one of the legends of the amateur sport in the country, in Trevor Shailer, winning the fourth of seven National crowns, in the Light Welterweight division.

Another multiple titleholder reigned supreme at the 1993 Hawkes Bay championships, with 1991 Jameson Belt winner Gary Jago clinching his fourth successive Bantamweight title.

1993 Boxing New Zealand Senior National Champions

Super Heavyweight       Faii Falamoe (Auckland)         defeated Karl Meehan (Manukau)

Heavyweight                 Ene Aukoso (Auckland)           defeated Mark Wilson (Manawatu)

Light Heavyweight       Greg Bell (Canterbury)             defeated Lawrence Thorogood (Auckland)

Middleweight                Sam Leuii (Auckland)              defeated Timo Masua (Auckland)

Light Middleweight      Colin Hunia (CNI)                    defeated Stephen Wood (Manawatu)

Welterweight                Nuka Woods (Far North)           defeated Keiran Hari (Manukau)

Light Welterweight       Trevor Shailer (Manawatu)       defeated Tom Turner (Dannevirke)

Lightweight                   Danny Masterson (Auckland)   defeated Kalolo Fiaui (CNI)

Bantamweight               Gary Jago (Auckland)               defeated James Bond (Canterbury)

Jameson Belt (Most Scientific Senior Champion)           Danny Masterson

Joe Thwaites Shield (Jameson Belt Coach)                     Dr John McKay

Parker Memorial Tray (Best Loser)                                 Kalolo Fiaui (CNI)

Article added: Thursday 01 August 2019