Tua pep talks local boxers

Seven entertaining boxing matches were seen at Saturday nights fight night with the arrival of Samoan heavyweight boxer David Tua really sparking the boxers into action in the Banana Court boxing ring.

While Tua didnt have a rumble in the ring on the night he did sign two boxing gloves that will be auctioned off for much needed funds for the Cook Islands Amateur Boxing Association.

Getting the crowd pumped up first were pint sized 12-year-old boxers James Strickland of the Arorangi club and Frank the lightning Benioni from Aitutaki.

After the first one-minute round between these two future stars it was clear why Benioni was known as the Aitutaki lightning as the youngster pelted out countless on-two combinations on Strickland.

But it was Stricklands decisive and clean strikes that saw him declared the winner of the opening bout.

Two exhibition matches were also featured on the night with Harmon Royale fighting twice first against equally talented boxer Maui Siulepa and the second against a sprightly and stealthy Rauti Ellison.

All three young men, who play a number of other sports including rugby league, showed great boxing prowess for their age and short boxing careers.

Michael Edwards of the Mongoose club proved too strong for an equally talented Eli Daniel from the Titikaveka club.

A barefooted Willie Doherty got himself into trouble early against John Andrew Jnr from the Arorangi club with the bout called off by the referee, giving the win to Andrew.

The heavyweight bout of the night was between Osolai Hagai of the Mongoose club and big Bernard of the Titikaveka club.

This was a great bout with Bernard managing to keep up with the lighter opponent, but it was Hagai who landed more clean shots to be declared the winner by majority.

The main bout of the evening was between former national boxers and the islands top two fighters Mathew Titoa of the Mongoose club and Eddie Daniel of Muri.

Sharp boxing skills and class was seen from both boxers in this bout in what was an evenly contested bout which in the end was won by a confident Titoa.

Titoa, Daniel and Hagai are the top three boxers on the island who are vying to be selected for the Pacific Games boxing squad to represent the country at the Pacific Games in New Caledonia in August.

The next fight night has been scheduled for May 14 where the Cook Islands boxing team will be selected to fight in the first international bout of the year between the Cooks and Tahiti on June 2 here on Rarotonga.

Boxing president Tupou Faireka acknowledged that the canvas covered concrete floor was not ideal for boxing but the association have had to make do with what they had.

He promised that issue would be addressed hopefully by the next fight night and definitely by the international fight night on June 2.