Spartens amateur boxing club gets help from Aussie patron

FRIEND of amateur boxing Mark Lonergran from Brisbane, Australia, supplied boxing gear to the Spartens Boxing Club in the Taurama Foodland area in the National Capital District.
Since Lonergan was in PNG, he had been to several training venues and realised there was a need for boxing equipment for the clubs.
He has been associated with boxing as manager and promoter of the Black Tie boxing promotion and guided Jarrod Fletcher to becoming the gold medallist in the middleweight (72kg) division at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, in 2006.
Lonergan found his way to the PNG Sports Federation office in Waigani and met up with veteran boxing administrator Dick Larry.
“Papua New Guineans are naturally good boxers.
“They need more technical training to face their opponents,” he said.
To start his acquaintance with the boxing fraternity in NCD, Lonergan said his first task was to provide boxing gear to various clubs.
Spartens were the first club to receive the assistance. The club recruits boxers from the Taurama Foodland, Sabama, Kaugere and 3-Mile areas.
He said boxing was a great sport. It would attract unemployed youths and instill discipline in them.
Lonergan, who works with the Goldhurst Wealth Management company, is trying to open an office in Port Moresby to help people invest in big companies in PNG and Australia.
The boxing gear includes a punching bag, pads and two sets of boxing gloves.