Waimate’s Taafaki Boxing put on a strong showing at its debut Canterbury championships earlier this month.
The club was formed at the start of the year and has been on a tear through the South Island boxing scene, scooping up awards and titles on a regular basis.
Hosted by the Canterbury Boxing Association in Woolston, Christchurch, the Canterbury championships featured four Taafaki Boxing fighters.
Taafaki Taafaki, 13, competed in the male cadet 56kg division, facing a challenging opponent in Riley Beritmyer-Teika, a rematch from a previous event.
He displayed skill and resilience, emerging victorious by unanimous decision and advanced to the finals.
In a closely matched finals contest against Kane Jensen, Taafaki once again secured a unanimous decision victory, earning the junior belt for most scientific boxer.
Pasoni Taafaki, 16, entered the 71kg male youth open division, competing against one of New Zealand’s top-ranked boxers, Johnny Kennard.
He finished as the runner-up, but coach Badi Taafaki was impressed with his performance.
‘‘Pasoni demonstrated significant progress with each round, he adapted quickly and learnt valuable lessons for future bouts.’’
Lemuel De Barbo participated in the males 63kg elite novice division.
In the end he was unopposed and won his category by default.
Badi Taafaki commended De Barbo, who was left without a fight, on his enthusiasm and ‘‘eagerness and readiness to compete’’.
14-year-old Francis Taafaki was the final fighter set to compete — entering the junior female category — but had to withdraw last minute due to the absence of an opponent.
Overall Badi Taafaki was pleased with his charges.
‘‘In the highly competitive world of boxing, our athletes frequently face opponents with more experience and greater maturity.
‘‘This disparity often serves as a powerful motivator for our team, driving them to adapt and perform at their very best.
‘‘Every match, whether a win or a loss, contributes to their growth and development. We are immensely proud of our small yet determined team.’’
