Boxers might fight in Denmark

Press, 1 August 1989, Page 48

Boxers might fight in Denmark

By

JOHN COFFEY

New Zealand’s best-performed amateur boxers might have an opportunity to compete in Denmark as part of their Commonwealth Games preparation. .iL “We have an open invitation, and competition against the European countries would be invaluable,” said the national team’s trainer, John McKay, of Auckland, yesterday. ”1 would like to see three or four members of the Commonwealth Games squad go to Denmark,” he Mid. Dr McKay expects boxing to fill its allocation of five places in the New Zealand Games team, and feels the aim of providing international and top-class domestic competition for the various contenders is being achieved. “We set out at the start of the year to find eight or nine overseas bouts for the top pqjfpects such as Andy Creery and Michaej

frhat will be comfortably achieved by the tinie-the team is named, probably November. > Others in the Games squad are up to four or i five fights and. have more to. come,” said Dr . MCJCay. v.. - /Cj" Such an intensive international programme > had not been available to; New Zealand , boxers for some years, he said? 1 ? ; After the. national championships in late: » August other matchings would be available to ) Games candidates. Dr McKay, who is also . president .-.of the Auckland association, said - negotiations were under way with Fijian 5 officials and plans were in hand to bring a • strong Queensland team to Auckland. i still in doubt, the Oceania tournament would be staged in Auckland in mid1 November if sponsorship could be arranged. > A? decision would probably be made within L two weeks; - " “You can see the difference in so&eone

like Creery, He was inexperienced when he weat to Jakarta and Bangkok and has gone » from strength to strength,” said Dr McKay. He expected that two more trial touma- ; rnents would be held, about October and November, to confirm rankings in the minds . of the national selectors. {’Tin not a selector so I can express my; f thoughts. I’m not very keen on seeing guys -coming into a New Zealand championship with ; the idea a title would give them automatic entry into the Commonwealth Games, squad. “I believe in looking at their performances over the whole year, and judge how they have improved, not just at one performance at the nationals.” Dr McKay promised Games hopefuls that they could expect “a very hard six months” leading up to the tournament in /ftckland.