warriors_ballboy
Marc Glanville
Former rugby league hard man Kevin Tamati wants someone to fight.
And while Greg Dowling is the obvious candidate — the fight between the duo during a test match between the Kiwis and Australia in 1985 has earned Tamati his place in rugby league folklore, along with his appearances in the black jersey — there are only four weeks to find an opponent.
Tamati has been confirmed to fight in next month's Fight for Kidz charity boxing event in Invercargill.
Now he needs some opposition and event organiser Dave Bartley is hoping to find someone as soon as possible.
Tamati played rugby league for New Zealand for seven years, including 22 tests and 34 games and, although he earned a reputation as a perennial hardman on and off the field, he's modest about his boxing expertise.
"Shucks, I haven't been in a ring for years, so I don't expect that I'm going to get in there and pulverise anyone who gets in there with me," he said.
"The idea is to get in there and have a bit of fun — to a point." Tamati said he had some boxing experience, after joining a gym to get fit for rugby league, and he had one amateur fight under his belt.
Of course, the suggestion of Dowling making an appearance was not lost on him.
"The boys asked do you reckon we could get Greg over, but I said it's probably not the fight that you want," he said.
A case of been there, done that? "Yep." "It's all for charity. I reckon Tim Shadbolt would be good," Tamati said.
"It would be good to have a debate with him in the ring!" Bartley said someone who was similar in stature and age to Tamati - not necessarily with any boxing experience - would fit the role.
"An old league or rugby player would be fantastic," he said.
Tamati is 54, weighs in at 100kg and is 1.78m tall.
Tickets to the Fight for Kidz event have been selling well.
Bartley said all the tables (120 tables of 10) had been sold, with just 300 stand seats remaining.
Fight for Kidz, which will include 12 bouts throughout the night, will be held on August 15 at Stadium Southland and proceeds from the event will go to CanTeen, an organisation designed to support children with cancer.
As for Tamati replicating his rugby league hard man image in the ring: "I'm a lover, not a fighter," he said, laughing.
Anyone wanting to take on Kevin Tamati in the Fight for Kidz on August 15 should contact Dave Bartley on 027 5396397.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4620439a10713.html
And while Greg Dowling is the obvious candidate — the fight between the duo during a test match between the Kiwis and Australia in 1985 has earned Tamati his place in rugby league folklore, along with his appearances in the black jersey — there are only four weeks to find an opponent.
Tamati has been confirmed to fight in next month's Fight for Kidz charity boxing event in Invercargill.
Now he needs some opposition and event organiser Dave Bartley is hoping to find someone as soon as possible.
Tamati played rugby league for New Zealand for seven years, including 22 tests and 34 games and, although he earned a reputation as a perennial hardman on and off the field, he's modest about his boxing expertise.
"Shucks, I haven't been in a ring for years, so I don't expect that I'm going to get in there and pulverise anyone who gets in there with me," he said.
"The idea is to get in there and have a bit of fun — to a point." Tamati said he had some boxing experience, after joining a gym to get fit for rugby league, and he had one amateur fight under his belt.
Of course, the suggestion of Dowling making an appearance was not lost on him.
"The boys asked do you reckon we could get Greg over, but I said it's probably not the fight that you want," he said.
A case of been there, done that? "Yep." "It's all for charity. I reckon Tim Shadbolt would be good," Tamati said.
"It would be good to have a debate with him in the ring!" Bartley said someone who was similar in stature and age to Tamati - not necessarily with any boxing experience - would fit the role.
"An old league or rugby player would be fantastic," he said.
Tamati is 54, weighs in at 100kg and is 1.78m tall.
Tickets to the Fight for Kidz event have been selling well.
Bartley said all the tables (120 tables of 10) had been sold, with just 300 stand seats remaining.
Fight for Kidz, which will include 12 bouts throughout the night, will be held on August 15 at Stadium Southland and proceeds from the event will go to CanTeen, an organisation designed to support children with cancer.
As for Tamati replicating his rugby league hard man image in the ring: "I'm a lover, not a fighter," he said, laughing.
Anyone wanting to take on Kevin Tamati in the Fight for Kidz on August 15 should contact Dave Bartley on 027 5396397.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4620439a10713.html