Kickboxing heat 2 deferred

 THE Ox & Palm Kickboxing Challenge heat 2 for the New Guinea Islands region to be staged in Kokopo, East New Britain, was deferred to Saturday May 18.

PNG Kick Boxing Association chief executive Stanley Nandex said the deferral to give time for all fighters to have their physical  and medical examinations as well as for the draw to be finalised and fighters to be briefed on the tournament rules and systems.

Nandex said kickboxing as a combat sport had inherent risks and every fighter needed to be passed fight before stepping into the ring.

He said fighters from Bougainvilles, New Ireland and West New Britain had yet to arrive in Kokopo.

Nandex, who is in Kokopo to address the issues, apologised to the community in Kokopo, Rabaul, major sponsor Hugo Canning and other sponsors on behalf of the PNGKBA executive for the delay.

He appealed to all the presidents of the associations in the provinces to contact the provincial kickboxing coordinator Emanuel Laplapir on 7202 4446 or the branch instructor Bob Jenson on 7230 6464 for information on the tournament.

PNGKBA secretary-general Eddie Kavina last week thanked regional member Leo Dion for a K5,000 sponsorship of Team ENB.  

He urged wider participation and encouraged the people and leaders of the province to appreciate the code Kavina saying in the 2012 PNG Games kickboxing decided ENB’s overall win. 

He added that now the sport had returned to the province proving that it had a following and would only grow through such efforts from the community and the provincial government.