One last fight for The Plumber
Shoulder reconstruction isn’t enough to deny Isaac ‘‘The Plumber’’ Peach his final fight.
The 31-year-old is calling time on his boxing career but not before putting on the gloves for one last tussle.
Peach is taking on 35-year-old Fili Mailata in ‘‘ The Last Dance’’ at the Auckland Boxing Association tomorrow night.
There are no regrets for Peach whose professional record stands at 11 wins and just the one loss.
But he admits it will be hard to let go.
‘‘It was absolutely a tough decision to make because I want to box forever,’’ Peach says.
‘‘But the plan was to retire by the time I turned 32 and I’m sticking to that.’’
Peach got married a year ago and says having children is his next goal.
The Sunnyvale plumber weighs just under 77kg and stands at 1.8 metres.
He also holds the New Zealand National Boxing Federation super middleweight title.
The title isn’t on the line tomorrow but Peach will have to give it up.
This will be his first and last fight since undergoing reconstructive shoulder surgery in December 2012.
His last bout was also against Mailata a month earlier, a close match which Peach won on points.
‘‘I’ve been out of the ring for a year but I wanted this last hurrah,’’ Peach says.
‘‘Physically it’s getting harder to keep fit for and life is a lot busier.
‘‘I’m actually more nervous about organising the fight rather than the fight itself.’’
Joining Peach on the night is his good friend and fellow boxer Kahukura Bentson who is also retiring.
Bentson will take on Atalili Fai in the second professional fight for the sold-out event at Ngahura St in Eden Terrace.