Tourism promotes Kokoda Challenge with K20,000

The Tourism Promotion Authority yesterday presented K20,000 to the PNG Amateur Boxing Union for the hosting of the 2018 Kokoda Challenge on Saturday in Port Moresby.
The challenge will feature championship bouts between Boxing Australia NSW, PNG Amateur Boxing Union and Fiji Boxing.
PNG’s elite Commonwealth Games boxing team of Thadius Katua (60kg), Charlie Keama (52kg), John Ume (64kg) and female fighter Laisani Soma (60kg) will be up against the top fighters from NSW and Fiji.
The challenge will give the local fighters an invaluable hit out before the Commonwealth Games in April on the Gold Coast, Australia.
PNGABU president John Avira said country’s elite fighters have been in training in the Philippines for the past couple of weeks.
“They have been in intensive training for this tournament. We feel as part of our training programme, this will be the final hit out before the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast,” Avira said.
“The Kokoda Challenge is one of our premier events, we have invited the NSW boxing team to come and compete against the PNG Commonwealth boxing team who are currently training in Manila, and will be arriving tomorrow (today).”
TPA chief executive officer Jerry Agus said the challenge provided a perfect vehicle to promote the Kokoda Track as one of the country’s major tourism attractions.
“How we got involved with this competition is simply because they are playing for the Kokoda Cup. As we all know Kokoda is an iconic tourism product for PNG. We spend a lot in marketing campaigns.”