Rapira still juggling card for fight night
Friday’s night boxing at New Plymouth’s TSB Stadium this week could feature a dozen bouts.
Only days out from the Crowded House Bar & Eatery Fight Before Christmas – expected to attract about 2000 boxing fans – promoter Sam Rapira is still juggling the card.
And he has found space for one of the fighters denied ring time in
Hāwera earlier this month when a fight night turned ugly outside the ring, prompting police to be called and the event being closed down.
Quinton Wilson, who was on the
Hawera Rumble card, will take on Adam Preston, who fought and won at the last big fight night in New Plymouth in May.
That brings the card night to 11 bouts.
‘‘I am looking at the possibility of securing another corporate bout if a suitable match-up becomes available,’’ Rapira said. ‘‘The Wilson-preston match-up adds to a pretty stellar card.’’
Injuries have hit two of the three main fights.
The debut of Te Kopotai Tohu has been put on ice because he has picked up an injury – and the debut of former All Black Chris Masoe has a fresh look.
His original rival Steven Powell has also suffered an injury, opening the way for journeyman Lui Te’o Te Ao from Auckland to step in. Te Ao has a couple of wins and a lot of losses but is regarded as a good test for new fighters.
‘‘He’s fought some good boxers and is the right guy for Chris on debut,’’ Rapira said.
Te Ao has a majority draw decision with Australian heavyweight Bob Mirovic to his name – it was the Aussie’s last fight in a 30-year career – and has also fought Nick Charalampous.
The other feature fight will see former Kiwi Wairangi Koopu up against Taranaki’s Rewi Panoho.
Ring announcer Lt Dan Hennessy, famous for his catchcry ‘‘will somebody, somewhere, make some noise’’ will be back calling the fighters into the ring.
Corporate card: Zane Coleman v Api Hemara, Adam Preston v Quinton Wilson, Adam Duncan v Hanley Setu, Shay Mason v Shay O’carroll, Eva Gulliver v Charo Ngaia, Jason Pepper v Richard Ponder, Marc Murray v Zabie Fadaie, Sarah Mischefski v Freedom Edmonds, Liam Brown v Campbell Begg.