New Zealand Professional Boxing Association

Last updated

New Zealand Professional Boxing Association
NZPBA Logo.jpeg
Sport Professional boxing
JurisdictionNew Zealand
AbbreviationNZPBA
Founded1966 (1966)
Affiliation World Boxing Association
World Boxing Council
International Boxing Federation
World Boxing Organisation
World Boxing Federation
Commonwealth Boxing Council
Australian National Boxing Federation
PresidentKevin Pyne
Vice president(s)1st John Conway
2nd David Kettle
SecretaryFiona Moore
Flag of New Zealand.svg

New Zealand Professional Boxing Association (NZPBA) is one of the four governing bodies for the sport of professional boxing in New Zealand. NZPBA is a non-profit organisation.

Contents

History

The body was founded as South Pacific Boxing Association, with the name changed to New Zealand Professional Boxing Association Inc. in 1984 at its AGM. The new name was greeted and accepted by the World Bodies and Commonwealth Boxing Council. [1]

In 2006, NZPBA had its first female national champion with Daniella Smith defeating Sue Glassey for the super welterweight title. Smith is New Zealand's second professional national champion.

In April 2016, NZPBA sanctioned New Zealand's first major world title fight (from one of the four major sanctioning bodies) for the WBC female middleweight title with Kali Reis defeating Maricela Cornejo by split decision. The fight night also featured two of New Zealand's first WBC Silver title fights with Melissa St. Vil defeating Baby Nansen and Ronica Jeffrey defeating Gentiane Lupi. On the same night, NZPBA had New Zealand's first female professional boxing referee, with Shelley Ashton officiating Nailini Helu vs. Kirsty Lupeamanu.

Controversy

Former NZPBA President Lance Revill is known for sharing his opinions with New Zealand's local media, causing major scrutiny to the association. He drew particular attention for his comments directed at Joseph Parker. Since the beginning of Parker's career, Revill has made regular comments about Parker, including when he turned pro, [2] alleging that Parker's promoters were only interested in money, [3] that Parker was too hyped up [4] and that Parker didn't win his world title fight in December 2016. [5] In February 2017, it was announced that due to backlash against his comments against Parker, Revill resigned as president of NZPBA. Vice President John Conway was named interim president. [6]

In 2018, NZPBA officiated a corporate boxing event in Christchurch in November where first-time corporate boxer Kain Parsons was knocked unconscious. Kain Parsons was taken to Christchurch Hospital's intensive care unit, but he died four days later after the event. [7] The vice president of the organisation at the time, Kevin Pyne, was the referee of the fight. [8] Former NZPBA President Lance Revill stated that he believed the fight should have been stopped earlier. [9] In 2019, Kevin Pyne was elected president of NZPBA, despite being the referee of the fight.[ citation needed ]

Current roles

Board members

President: Kevin Pyne

Vice President: 1st John Conway, 2nd David Kettle

National Secretary: Fiona Moore

National Treasurer: Pat Leonard

Webmaster: Raylyne Siaosi and Kendall Cooper

Doctors: David Renata & Shaaren Jacobs

Regional representatives

Northland & Auckland: Jo Gallagher and Mal Siaosi

Bay of Plenty & Waikato: Bob Mitchell

Manawatu & East/West Coast: Shelley Ashton

Wellington Supervisor: Ian Scott

South Island Supervisor: Paul Fitzimmons

Current national champions

Men

Weight class:NZPBA Champion:NZPBA Reign began:
Heavyweight Junior Fa 18 March 2017
CruiserweightAsher Derbyshire [10] 29 April 2016
Light-heavyweightVacant—
Super-middleweightJonathan Taylor12 November 2016
MiddleweightVacant—
Super-welterweightBowyn Morgan22 June 2018
WelterweightVacant—
Super-lightweightVacant—
LightweightNort Beauchamp4 May 2019

Women

Weight class:NZPBA Champion:NZPBA Reign began:
Heavyweight Sarah Long 13 October 2018
Light-heavyweight Lani Daniels 18 November 2017
Super-welterweight Daniella Smith [11] 6 May 2006
Welterweight Daniella Smith [12] 13 December 2008
Lightweight Mea Motu 26 March 2021
Super-featherweightRebecca Jennings10 September 2016
BantamweightChristine Gillespie2 November 2024

Current provincial champions

NZPBA Central title

Heavyweight Men

NameBeginning of ReignOpponentDefences
Kiki Toa Leutele6 October 2018Thomas Russell0

Middleweight Men

NameBeginning of ReignOpponentDefences
Gunnar Jackson 24 November 2018Blake Bell0

Boxing and Wrestling Act 1981

See also

Related Research Articles

Lance Revill is the former president of the New Zealand Professional Boxing Association (NZPBA), a New Zealand boxing promoter, referee, and a former New Zealand professional boxer. Revill compiled a professional record of 21 wins and 13 losses, with 13 knockouts, in light heavyweight bouts fought in New Zealand and Australia between 1974 and 1990.

Gentiane Lupi is a New Zealand professional boxer, kickboxer, MMA and Muay Thai fighter. Lupi is also the former Women's International Boxing Association World super bantamweight champion and also the third New Zealand born person to have held a world boxing title.

Daniella Smith is a New Zealand former professional boxer. She became the first female fighter to win an IBF title, having held the welterweight version from 2010 to 2011, and is the third New Zealand-born person to win a boxing world title, after Torpedo Bill Murphy (1890) and Joseph Parker in 2016 with World Boxing Organisation. Smith is also ranked pound-for-pound number one in New Zealand of all time in the Women's division.

Gunnar Jackson is a New Zealand professional boxer. At regional level he held the NZPBA super middleweight title from 2012 to 2013; the NZPBA middleweight title in 2013; and the WBO Oriental middleweight title twice between 2013 and 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reece Papuni</span> New Zealander professional boxer

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Professional boxing in New Zealand refers to the sport of boxing held in New Zealand at a professional level.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Parker vs. Andy Ruiz Jr.</span> Boxing competition

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Nailini Inaise Vae Helu is a professional boxer who lives in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lani Daniels</span> New Zealand boxer

Te Arani Moana "Lani" Daniels is a New Zealand professional boxer who became the first New Zealand-born boxer of Māori descent to become a two-division world boxing champion. She has held the IBF female heavyweight title between May and December 2023, and the IBF Light Heavyweight title since December 2023. She is the fourth boxer of Maori descent to win a world boxing championship.

Bowyn Morgan is a New Zealand professional boxer. As an amateur he competed in the men's welterweight division at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where he would reach the quarter-finals before losing to Scott Fitzgerald, who went on to claim the gold medal.

Andrei Mikhailovich Driessen is a Russian born, New Zealand raised professional boxer. He has won multiple New Zealand national championships in two weight classes from light middleweight to middleweight. At regional level, Mikhailovich has also won the IBF Pan-Pacific and WBO Global middleweight belts.

References

  1. ↑ Watt, Benjamin (5 June 2009). "NZPBA Talks about History". New Zealand Fighter. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  2. ↑ McKendry, Patrick (16 May 2012). "Boxing: Revill steals limelight at Parker press conference". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  3. ↑ McKendry, Patrick (9 May 2014). "Boxing: Revill hits out at fight promoters". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  4. ↑ Knowler, Richard (10 December 2014). "Old heads warn against Joseph Parker hype". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  5. ↑ "NZ boxing boss Lance Revill: It's bulls****, Joseph Parker didn't win". New Zealand Herald. 11 December 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  6. ↑ McKendry, Patrick (11 December 2016). "Boxing: Lance Revill quits NZPBA post due to Joseph Parker fight backlash". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  7. ↑ Northcott, Maddison (7 November 2018). "Fight for Christchurch boxer Kain Parsons dies after charity match". Stuff NZ. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  8. ↑ Dillane, Tom (9 December 2018). "We were all deeply gutted' - referee in fatal Christchurch boxing match speaks". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  9. ↑ Mead, Thomas (5 November 2018). "Ref should've called it off': NZ boxing great urges change after charity fight left boxer critical". Newshub. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  10. ↑ "Wellington Big Bash - Fight 11". Youtube. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  11. ↑ "Daniella Smith". WBAN. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  12. ↑ "Daniella Smith retains NZ Welterweight Title". Fight Times. Retrieved 21 February 2009.
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