Fight Night VI
By CPL Mick Jones
A spectacular night of Corporate Boxing was held in late May at the Langham Hotel in Auckland, and saw Royal New Zealand Air Force boxers put their bodies on the line for the KidsCan charity. Corporal Michael Jones recalls the night.
Six RNZAF boxers competed in Fight Night VI—CPL Michael Jones, CPL Damos Marr, CPL Daniel Roberts, Leading Aircraftman Kahla-Jane Tuffey, LAC Thomas Brain, and LAC Adam Blair who fought against Private Ryan Jones—the only representative from the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNZIR).
Great excitement and anticipation built up throughout the day. The weigh-in, pre-event photo shoots, rehearsals and doctor’s medical clearance were all part of the build-up.
The scene was set, fourteen corporate fights going toe-to-toe in front of a sell out audience of over 600—VIPs, including DCAF and WOAF, friends and family! Then came the moment everyone had been eagerly waiting for, the first bell. By the end of the proceedings, three of the six RNZAF boxers were victorious in their feat to overcome their corporate opponent and a deserved victory over RNZIR.
My fight was against Kerry Wood (Corporate Fletcher), competing in the first ever game of Chess Boxing in the Southern Hemisphere. Chess boxing involves two opponents ‘fighting’ alternating rounds of chess and boxing. The contest consists of three rounds of both chess and boxing, and is won either by checkmate (chess round) or retirement of an opponent, KO (boxing round). The night also included a celebrity fight—Tammy ‘Munter’ Davis from Outrageous Fortune vs Craig Ormesby of Maori TV fame.
Whatever the outcome in the ring, I believe all RNZAF fighters were deserved winners on the night having surpassed our own expectations and stamping our presence within the Auckland Boxing Circles.
Fight Night VI raised an incredible $25,000 for the KidsCan charity.