International bout tomorrow

 By HENRY MORABANG

THE Papua New Guinea Amateur Boxing Union (PNGABU) will stage its first international fight as part of preparations for the 2015 Pacific Games.

The fight will be staged at Lamana Hotel on Saturday.

President of the PNGABU John Avira told The National at Murray Barracks gymnasium where the boxers are training that there are nine undercard fights.

The main bout would be between Henry Umings and Brent Rice in the 64kg division.

Umings has a colourful profile as a champion boxer in this division for the last five years.

He represented PNG at the Isle of Man in the World Youth Boxing championships.

Queenslander Rice is a seasoned champion and was narrowly beaten at the last Commonwealth Games.

In the female division, Annette Kora takes on Skye Nicolson. 

The champion woman boxer will carry on the legacy of the Kora family following the footsteps of her uncle Chavis Kora and grand father Raphael Kora.

Incumbent team manager Dick Larry said the boxers have been training well since the last Lamana Fight Night two weeks ago. 

The bulk of the senior boxers will provide undercard fights to lift the profile of the main bout.

Four elite local fighters will go against each other.

Charlie Keama will take on his fellow Kairuku wantok, Lui Magaiva in the 49kg while Junior Kaoka Raga will challenge Jonathan Lawas in the 60kg division.

Larry said there will be 11 fights of which eight will be for men and the remainder for the women. 

President Avira thanked sponsors AES, Badili Hardware, Lamana and Go For Gold funding from the PNG government for supporting Team Boxing. 

The team will depart for OK Tedi next week under the sponsorship, and will be there for two weeks.