Duken Tutakitoa-Williams

Last updated

Duken Tutakitoa-Williams
Duken Holo Tutakitoa-Williams- Niue Boxer CWG Birmingham 2022.jpg
Niue's first ever medal from the Commonwealth Games Birmingham 2022
Personal information
Full nameDuken Holo Tutakitoa-Williams
Nickname(s)The Kid, HBK
Nationality Niue, New Zealand
Born17 August 1998 [1]
New Zealand
Height178
Weight92 kg (203 lb)
Sport
CountryFlag of Niue.svg  Niue
Sport Boxing
ClubMickey B Boxing Grey Lynn, Balmoral Lee Gar
Team Niue
Coached byLolo Heimuli
Medal record
Men's Boxing
Representing Flag of Niue.svg  Niue
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2022 Birmingham Men's heavyweight
Pacific Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Honiara Men's cruiserweight

Duken Holo Tutakitoa-Williams (born 17 August 1998) is a Niuean boxer and the first Niue athlete competing in the Commonwealth Games history to win Niue Island's first ever medal.

Williams is from the village of Liku, Niue. [2]

In April 2022, he won the New Zealand national cruiserweight title. [3]

In June 2022, he was selected for Niue's team for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. [4] [5] At the games he defeated the Cook Islands' Michael Schuster to secure a place in the heavyweight semi-final. [6] The victory guaranteed him at least the bronze, making him Niue's first Commonwealth games medalist. [7]

In October 2023, he was announced for the Niue squad in the 2023 Pacific Games. [8] Later that month, his house was raided by police and his assets were frozen. Due to his sponsors pulling out, he was forced to fundraiser money to pay for his own plane ticket to the games in Honiara. [9] Williams won the gold medal in the 81–86 kg division after defeating Gabriel Dalphin in the final. [10]

Related Research Articles

Niue was represented at the 2002 Commonwealth Games by Niue Island Association & National Olympic Committee and abbreviated NIU.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niue at the Commonwealth Games</span> Sporting event delegation

Niue has competed six times in the Commonwealth Games to date, in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Kini</span> New Zealand boxer

William George Kini was a New Zealand heavyweight boxer and rugby union prop. He won a gold medal for boxing at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games and placed second in the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

Soulan James Pownceby is a New Zealand boxer who was described by TVNZ in 2004 as one of New Zealand's most exciting talents since David Tua. He is also notable for convictions for assault and manslaughter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star Tauasi</span> New Zealand boxer

Star "The Rock of Niue" Tauasi is a Niuean boxer. He competed for Niue at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games, and at the 2003 South Pacific Games in Suva, Fiji, winning a bronze.

David Kieran Nyika is a New Zealand professional boxer. As an amateur, he won a gold medal at both the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games as well as competing at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships. Nyika and Sarah Hirini were the New Zealand flag bearers at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Nyika gained significant media attention after an incident during the Round of 16 at the 2020 Summer Olympics in which Moroccan boxer Youness Baalla attempted to bite Nyika's ear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Light (boxer)</span> New Zealand amateur boxer

David Light is a New Zealand professional boxer. As an amateur, he competed in the men's heavyweight division at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where he won the silver medal against Canada's Samir El-Mais. Professionally, Light is a former WBO World Crusierweight title contender, where he fought Lawrence Okolie in March 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalton Tagelagi</span> New Zealand politician, Prime Minister of Niue

Dalton Emani Makamau Tagelagi is a Niuean politician and Prime Minister of Niue since June 2020. He was elected premier by the Niue Legislative Assembly on 11 June 2020, defeating O'Love Jacobsen by 13 votes to 7.

Patrick Pakuliki Mailata is a Samoan born, New Zealand raised professional boxer. As an amateur, he won three New Zealand national elite championships from 2012 to 2014 and a bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Tupuola Seua’i Ato Leau Plodzicki-Faoagali is a Samoan amateur boxer who has represented Samoa at the Pacific Games, Commonwealth Games and the 2020 Summer Olympics.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games was a multi-sport event held in Birmingham, England, from 28 July to 8 August 2022. It was the first time that Birmingham hosted the games and also marked England's third time hosting the Commonwealth Games after London 1934 and Manchester 2002, and the seventh Games in the United Kingdom after London and Manchester, Cardiff 1958, Edinburgh 1970 and 1986, and Glasgow 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand at the 2022 Commonwealth Games</span> Sporting event delegation

New Zealand competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham, England, from 28 July to 8 August 2022. It is New Zealand's 22nd appearance at the Commonwealth Games, having competed at every Games since their inception in 1930. New Zealand finished fifth on the medal table, winning a total of 50 medals, 20 of which were gold. This makes these games New Zealand's best performance ever in terms of gold medals, beating the 17 won in Auckland at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, but third overall in terms of total medals, with 50, behind the 58 in 1990, and the 53 at the Games also in Auckland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niue at the 2022 Commonwealth Games</span> Sporting event delegation

Niue competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England from 28 July to 8 August 2022. It was Niue's sixth appearance at the Games.

Lewis Williams is an English boxer. He competed at the 2022 European Amateur Boxing Championships, winning the bronze medal in the heavyweight event. He previously competed at the 2021 AIBA World Boxing Championships in the heavyweight event, but was defeated in the quarter-final by Madiyar Saydrakhimov.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sagar Ahlawat</span> Indian boxer (born 1998)

Sagar Ahlawat is an Indian boxer who competes in Super Heavyweight category. He participated in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, being awarded the silver medal in the boxing competition. The score was 5-0.

Leuila Mau'u is a New Zealand amateur boxer. He won a bronze medal in the super heavyweight division at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Mau'u also competed at the 2020 Asia & Oceania Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament.

Fiu Tui is a Tuvaluan boxer who has represented Tuvalu at the Commonwealth Games and Pacific Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niue at the 2023 Pacific Games</span> Sporting event delegation

Niue competed at the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara from 19 November to 2 December 2023. This was Niue's tenth appearance at the Pacific Games, since first competing in 1979.

Teremoana Samson Junior Leon Teremoana is an Australian professional boxer who competes as a heavyweight. As a gold medallist at the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands, he qualified to represent Australia in the super-heavyweight event at the 2024 Summer Olympics. In his Olympic debut, he faced Ukraine's Dmytro Lovchynskyi, winning the bout via a first-round knockout. In the quarter-finals, he faced Uzbek Bakhodir Jalolov, the reigning Olympic champion, losing the match 5–0.

Ubayd Haider was a Fijian professional boxer who competed between 2019 and 2024. The self-styled "Prince of Fiji", in 2024, he held the Fijian Super featherweight title. While contesting the International Boxing Organization (IBO) Asia Pacific Featherweight title, Haider was knocked unconscious, slipped into a coma and died two weeks later at age 25.

References

  1. "Duken Holo Tutakitoa-Williams". Birmingham2022.com. Birmingham Organising Committee for the 2022 Commonwealth Games Limited . Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  2. "Niue Boxing Team for the Birmingham Games set and ready to go". TV Niue. April 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  3. "McMath upsets Benny at Boxing NZ national championships". NZ Sportswire. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  4. Magaoa, Sarah (20 June 2022). "NISCGA President confirms Team Niue to the Birmingham Games". Television Niue. BCN. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022. The team is made up of a total of 29 members; 15 athletes and 14 officials.
  5. "Niue aims to punch above its weight at Commonwealth Games". RNZ. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  6. "Niue and Samoan boxers to fight off for place in Games final". RNZ. 5 August 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  7. "Boxer bags first Commonwealth Games medal for tiny island nation of Niue". Express and Star. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  8. Tora, Iliesa (30 October 2023). "Heavyweight boxer Duken Tutakitoa-Williams to lead Niue's Pacific Games medal bid". RNZ. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  9. Satakala, Mere (10 December 2023). "Boxer Duken Williams Reveals Challenges leading up to Pacific Games". TV Niue. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  10. Tora, Iliesa (6 December 2023). "Niue's boxing star Duken Tutakitoa-Williams a 'source of motivation' for his island". RNZ. Retrieved 11 December 2023.