Tyro boxers spurred by Games gold
Canterbury boxers will look to punch above their weight and upset the locals at the Australian Golden Gloves.
Twelve Cantabrians have entered the tournament, which starts in Brisbane tomorrow with more than 430 boxers entered.
Canterbury Boxing Association coaches Julian Scully and Nick Watson have taken a team of nine in a bid to gain more experience and competition.
Scully said the boxers had an extra spring in their step after New Zealand’s recent success at the Commonwealth Games, where David Nyika won New Zealand’s first gold medal since 1990 and Christchurch boxer Bowyn Morgan made it through to the quarterfinals.
‘‘They see these guys like Bowyn Morgan on television and it makes their goals more realistic.
‘‘As I’ve told them, you have trained with him, you’ve been in teams with him so now you can do it to,’’ Scully said.
Scully said the trip was ‘‘a massive experience’’ for the mostly young team, who would be hunting experience just as much as titles.
Most of the squad were involved in the Canterbury Boxing Development Squad and this year was the first time the association had sent such a large team.
‘‘Just to get that international competition and see different boxers and their styles will help our guys learn so much.’’
But he still believed members of the team would be competitive, although it was hard to predict too much before the draw and weighin.
‘‘I’d love them all to win but the trip is as much about helping them to win our [New Zealand] Golden Gloves next year. I haven’t put to much pressure on them as they are a pretty young team.’’
Three boxers from the Boxing Canterbury Metro organisation have travelled to the tournament, all from the A-Town Boxing Gym.
A-Town coach Jamie Roberts is on his third trip to the tournament and two of his fighters, Junior Acero and Kaleb Hauraki, competed last year.
Roberts said last year was about experience for Acero and Hauraki. This year they ‘‘would be fighting to win’’.
Many of the athletes have received funding through the South Island trainers federation. Each boxer who won at the South Island Golden Gloves tournament had their trip subsidised.