Boxing nominees have good credentials

Press, 16 June 1982, Page 30

Boxing nominees have good credentials

By

JOHN COFFEY

New Zealand’s boxing selectors can hardly be accused of being rashly optimistic, or even mildly devious, in nominating only six competitors 1 for . the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. They have resisted any temptation to recommend a bigger-than-justified squad and can argue strongly for the inclusion of each of the boxers whose names have been put forward to the Games panel. Indeed, some boxing supporters — and officials probably consider the list to be too conservative, suggesting that to nominate eight contenders would probably ensure the eventual inclusion

of the top six. But such reasoning hds not always drawn the expected response from the lesser-qualified (in , boxing terms) final judiciary. In announcing their nominations the boxing selectors made it clear that they had overlooked Michael Kenny (Wellington), Alan McNamara (Nelson) and Darren Nichol (Central North Island) solely on grounds of age. Probably only Kenny, of that three, would have had firm claims to a place in the Games team. Kenny’s potential was very evident when he won the heavyweight gold medal at the recent Oceania Games in Auckland, a success which was not matched

by two of the nominees, Billy Meehan (Manawatu) and Peter Warren (Southland). But Kenny is still very much a tyro in the context of international amateur boxing, and only a few months out of high school/ Boxing, especially in the heavier classes, cannot be compared to most of the other Games sports,, in which promising youngsters can be expected to enhance their development against established rivals. There is an element of luck in the draw — the second-best entrant in a particular division might be con-

fronted by the eventual gold medallist and eliminated in just a few minutes — and Kenny could have had his career blunted, or ended, in. a mismatch with one of the hardened African representatives.

It would be surprising, disappointing and quite rightly the subject of protest if any of the other four Oceania gold medallists, Kevin Barry (Canterbury), Steve Renwick (Wellington), Apelu loane (Hutt Valley) or Michael Sykes (Central North Island), were to be discarded. Barry was responsible for the most notable individual achievement at the Auckland

tournament when he beat Benny Pike, of Queensland, a tough veteran of about 350 fights and a past Games medallist. Barry clearly has no cause to fear, in a physical sense, any of the light heavyweights who line up in Brisbane. A gold medallist also at the 1981 New Zealand Summer Games and the Brisbane “mini-Games,” loane has long been looked upon as New Zealand’s best chance of claiming a victory in the Commonwealth tournament.

Both Renwick and Sykes' have proved themselves in national and international contests, and Renwick has had no choice but to maintain a high standard because of the keen challenge issued

to him by the Canterbury welterweight, Kevin Pyne. Meehan will be banking on a creditable Oceania showing to bolster his claims. He enjoyed a points win at the expense . of Roger Spiteri (New South Wales), but lost the featherweight final to Tony Jones (Western Australia) on a majority decision. Until last Sunday Warren was probably the outsider of the six nominees. He had failed to justify his inclusion in the top New Zealand Oceania Games squad by finishing on the wrong end of a split decision with his understudy, Vine Nu’ufolau (Wellington). However, there was never any prospect of that result being repeated when Warren and Nu’ufolau clashed again in a special Games nomination trial at the Caledonian Hall. Warren gave plenty of evidence that he has the temperament to distinguish himself in vital bouts, and the skills to carry him through. It is an anachronism that Warren is at his best when in a corner, metaphorically rather than physically, and if he can maintain his present mood he will be a worthy bantamweight representative