Fight night rules in spotlight
An emergency meeting at New Zealand’s busiest boxing venue will assemble industry leaders to set stricter rules for corporate fight nights after a spate of serious knockouts.
Today’s meeting at ABA Stadium will bring together boxing associations across Auckland to negotiate a set of safety standards for the Eden Terrace venue.
Auckland Boxing Association president Paul McSharry called the meeting after being distressed at the number of serious injuries to novice and amateur fighters.
“I either do something or I do nothing. I’d just come back from the funeral of Lucy Brown two weekends ago. I’ve come back from that funeral, to arrive at the ABA [Stadium].
“I just sat down and Joel Rea, he got knocked out.”
In August, the Herald on Sunday reported two serious concussions at corporate fight nights that hospitalised inexperienced fighters.
On August 25, Rea was knocked out eight seconds into his bout. In April, Boxing Alley gym in Parnell indefinitely cancelled corporate fights after a man was concussed for 20 minutes and hospitalised for four days. And on August 22, Brown died after a sparring session.
McSharry said safety equipment for corporate bouts would be under particular scrutiny at today’s meeting.
It is understood representatives from the NZ Professional Boxing Association, NZ National Boxing Federation, and Professional Boxing Commission of NZ will also attend the 11am meeting.