Kickboxers off to Australia

PAPUA New Guinea kickboxers will be attending two major international fights in Australia.
The first event, the Sydney title will be held tomorrow.
PNG will up against a team from Australia followed by another challenge in Melbourne – the Powerplay promotion – Payback time next Friday.
PNG Kicboxing Association president Stanley Nandex said five top fighters, Mark Sondo (80kg), Timmy Unda (86kg), Alfred Samuel (60kg), Kira Wenolu (63kg) and Andy Linstan (78kg) will be taking on their Australian opponents at the Sydney showdown.
Another top fighter Laurie Hanku will face a Greece fighter in the 3×5 rounds K-1 rule in Melbourne.
Team manager Eric Ian said the fighters, representing Gobe in Southern Highlands had busy with their preparations and were looking forward to the challenge.
Hanku will be meeting an opponent, who is a high profile fight with a lot of experience.
However, he said he had been preparing well for the fight for the past three months and was looking forward to facing him in the ring.
Ian said the fighters were pleased to fight for their country.
Nandex said he was proud that the fighters had taken up the initiative themselves to prepare for the event.
He urged the fighter to take up the opportunity because it only came once and “there is no reason why these fighters should lose their matches if they were training hard”.
“It is all about focusing on the task and believing in yourselves. You already have won by winning a spot to the event and I congratulate you and wish you the best,” he said.