Amateur boxing c’ships begin

THE four-day national amateur boxing championships begin at the Taurama Aquatic Indoor Complex in Port Moresby on Monday.
Papua New Guinea Boxing Union (PNGBU) general secretary Gideon Kendino said 15 associations across 12 provinces were expected to compete in the tournament. PNGBU is expecting 80 elite, youth and rookie boxers to compete across categories – eight for men and five for women.
Tournament director Dick Larry is urging all PNGBU affiliates to field teams in the tournament.
Larry said with limited time, PNGBU would apply Olympic weight divisions only for men and women.
In line with an Olympic qualifier for next year, the International Boxing Association (AIBA) has removed 54kg and 60kg and moved it up to 64kg and 63kg in the men’s categories.
Dick said there would be no 54kg and 60kg under Olympic weight categories, meaning title holders would either have to move up or move down to fight at the Olympics-sanctioned competition.
Kendino urged all teams and boxers to be aware of the changes before attending the championships. He can be contacted on 72955944 for further details.
Olympic weight categories:
Men – Fly 48-52kg, feather 52-57kg, light 57-63kg, welter 63-69kg, middle 69-75k, light heavy 75-81kg, heavy 81-91kg and super heavy 91+kg; Women – Fly 48-57kg, light 57-60kg, light welter 60-64kg, welter 64-69kg and middle 69-75kg.