Bay boxer focused on lessons after debut
Hawke's Bay boxer Tiopira TeHuia Rarere lost his debut bout by a split decision on Saturday.
The son of former world kickboxing champion and multiple national title-winning boxing champion Jason Rarere, TeHuia Rarere, took on Palmerston North's Taitus O'Donnell in a 65kg youth light welterweight fight over three two-minute rounds. It was one of 21 fights on the card at the Giants Boxing Academy's tournament in Hastings.
A 16-year-old Lindisfarne College Year 12 student, TeHuia Rarere had two-and-a-half years of training with his father before the bout. Trainer Rarere said his son has 10 fights scheduled for the coming months.
"Tiopira is focused on becoming more familiar with the pre-fight weigh in, making weight and then the pre-entry to ring preparations, entry to ring, becoming familiar with crowds and gaining the real realities of competition fighting," Rarere explained.
"We are happy with the outcome and thank promoter Craig McDougall for the hospitality shown and the officials good job," Rarere said.
TeHuia Rarere was thrilled to dedicate the fight to his good friend Keryn Patterson who has been battling cancer for the past 11 years and is on the right side of the battle thanks to a successful 14-hour operation last year.
Hawke's Bay's national champion Shirahn Lee Esmail, who fights out of the Ruahapia Gym, also recorded a decision defeat when he took on Kapiti's Michael Reynolds in a 64kg class bout. It was a tenacious and competitive encounter worthy of its feature fight status.
Long-serving Hawke's Bay Tui rugby representative Gemma Woods won her 82kg class fight against Masterton's Chontelle Orr.
