PNG boxing team all set for Oceania C’ship – POST-COURIER

June 21, 2017

BOXING BY MARTIN LIRI

Papua New Guinea boxing team moves into the last week of preparations before they lace on their competition gloves for the Oceania Boxing championships in Gold Coast, Australia.

Assistant coach Mark Keto, who remained in Port Moresby, to ensure Bougainvillean Maxie Mangea (49kg) and Mekeos Andrew Aisaga (69kg), continued to train while their Australian visas were being processed, flew out last Friday together with team manager Dick Larry.

They joined the rest of the team which has been in Gold Coast, training under National coach Joe Aufa since early June.

Charles Keama (52kg), Beupu Noki (56kg), John Ume (64kg), who had valid Australian visas due to an earlier visit to Australia for the Sydney Kokoda Track Charity event in March this year, are the boxers who went ahead.

PNG Boxing Union president John Avira thanked Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited for supporting the team with uniforms and travelling bags so that the boxers were professionally attired.

The company is new to sponsoring sports teams, therefore we are very grateful to the board, management and staff of the Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited for their timely support, Avira said.

He also extended his appreciation to the PNG Olympic Committee under the leadership of secretary-general Auvita Rapilla and her deputy Andrew Lepani and the staff for their tireless efforts to provide funding and assist with other travel requirements.

The Oceania championships from June 26 to 28 which includes only men, is important for PNG boxings programs as it will provide the ideal opportunity for boxers to push their claims for higher level international competitions like next years Commonwealth Games.

Keama, the 2015 gold medalist, is the only boxer who has proven that he can mix it with the best in the Oceania region while the others in the team have shown the potential and need to convince national selectors they can continue to be part of the PNG elite squad.

Another proven boxer Olympian Thadius Katua could not join the team when ruled out due to an injury as he undergoes rehabilitation process for recovery.

PNG boxing is one of the sports nominated for the Mini Pacific Games in Port Vila, Vanuatu in December.

Unfortunately, women have not been included in the competition due to the lack of quality women boxers from the Pacific, the same reason they were not included in next weeks Oceania championships.

While these PNG boxers are the front-runners to spots for in mini games team, they would have to maintain their spots by winning their respective weight categories at the SP Brewery National Boxing Championships in Arawa in September.

Steve Hansen doesnt sound like a worried man, whatever Warren Gatland says. After the Lions beat the Maori All Blacks last week, Gatland said that Hansen was a little bit worried about how good the Lions might be.

It is so long since the All Blacks lost a Test at Eden Park that Maro Itoje was not even born the last time it happened

Inspired by his toughness on Wednesday night, Queensland have vowed to win next month's State of Origin decider for the retiring Johnathan Thurston.

Steve Hansen doesnt sound like a worried man, whatever Warren Gatland says. After the Lions beat the Maori All Blacks last week, Gatland said that Hansen was a little bit worried about how good the Lions might be.

It is so long since the All Blacks lost a Test at Eden Park that Maro Itoje was not even born the last time it happened

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PNG boxing team all set for Oceania C'ship - POST-COURIER