Hard Work Won Maunsell Olympic Boxing Place

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30562, 3 October 1964, Page 15

Hard Work Won Maunsell Olympic Boxing Place

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That was the lot of Brian Maunsell to become New Zealand's representative in the light welter-weight division at Tokyo. Zea,andS

Maunsell, who will be 27 on October 5, has been boxing since he was eight, has had 80 amateur fights and has been light welter-weight champion of New Zealand four times. His father, Mr Martin Maunsell, has been training amateur boxers in Christchurch for 20 years. Modest Did

Mr Maunsell modestly admits to doing a “bit of boxing” in Ireland before coming to Christchurch in 1925. “Dad put the gloves on my three brothers and myself when we were kids to teach

us to defend ourselves. We kept at it as a sport,” Brian said. “My youngest brother, John, had the most ability of any of us, but he gave boxing away. He won the Canterbury fly-weight title when he was 14.” The Olympic goal kept Brian Maunsell in boxing this season, he frankly admits. He wanted to go to Tokyo and being chosen to represent New Zealand has been the biggest kick he has had from boxing. Dangerous “Boxing is a dangerous sport. You have got to learn to defend yourself, or you will get hurt. The art of selfdefence is the basis of boxing. Dad taught us that—and he has been proved right.” Brian Maunsell’s defence is good—his unmarked face proves it “I love boxing—l am in it for the sport If you get hurt, it is not much of a sport. I mean, seriously hurt because your defence is no good.” Maunsell can attack, as his record proves. His left is fast, and carries weight, his right-cross is lethal and he is adept at tricking his opponents into making openings for this punch. He has a solid left hook, and can rip hard and fast with both hands. Hard To Hit In toto, Maunsell is a punishing fighter who is hard to punish. His weakness is boxing at half-pace, but this is because of lack of formidable opponents and his regard for boxing as a sport Hammering a man who is obviously beaten is not in the Maunsell book. “The pace will be on at the Olympic Games. When you are fighting for your country, you must take some risks and the attackers are favoured by Olympics judges. “I am prepared o attack

but not to throw all science away. The Japanese boxers here, when they found that they could not land clean punches or trick us into openings, just lashed out. My defence must have been good because my opponent threw a barrage of punches but very few landed. They couldn’t have, because he could punch hard,” Brian commented. Shared Triumphs He has had some hard fights—four against Wally Coe, the New Zealand welter-

weight champion, losing the first two and winning the last two. He has twice captained New Zealand boxing teams in Australia and fought some tough bouts there. It is typical of Maunsell’s attitude to boxing that he was not afraid to go to Benmore from Chrischureh. As it turned out, he could not have done better. The local boxing assodaion secured opponents for him from as far afield as Australia. Maunsell has done much for the sport at Otematata and the local boxing association has looked after him. “Boxing is a sport to me. I love it, but I am not dedicated to winning at all costs. I have no thoughts of turning professional later, and no thoughts of retiring. I have helped Dad in training the St. Anne’s gym. boys, and used to do a bit of training in Otematata. “I shall be returning there, and hope to continue boxing for the local association. As long as I love boxing I will be in it”

The boxer, Brian Maunsell, is the sixth in a series of profiles on Canterbury’s Olympic representatives.