national champions: Taumarunui boxing brothers Urijah, Dayton and Lyric Kawau all won national titles in Tauranga recently. PHOTO SUPPLIED
A trio of King Country brothers established their own piece of Boxing New Zealand history at the BNZ National Championships in Tauranga earlier this month.
Urijah, Lyric and Dayton Kawau, achieved the rare as hen’s teeth feat of all winning a national age-group title at the same event.
The Kawau brothers’ rare achievement has been accomplished on at least one previous occasion.
James, Brent, and Shane Snaddon won a junior title apiece at the Invercargill Nationals in 1998.
Dayton, Lyric and Urijah were proud ambassadors of the Te Toki a Maui Boxing Association, which were attending only their third championships but made their presence felt in taking home the Tyrer Cup (Junior points trophy).
It was an amazing effort from the brothers, who showcased their boxing credentials and are shaping as fighters to follow going forward.
The mid-North Island boxing organisation encompasses boxing gyms in Taupō, Te Awamutu and Taumarunui. The overriding goal of the association is to create champions inside and outside the ring.
The Kawau boys’ boxing journey began with their arrival back home in Taumarunui from Australia in 2018. Dayton was the first to head for the Taumarunui Silverback Boxing Academy, with Lyric and Urijah later following.
The softly spoken brothers put in an incredible amount of training ahead of the nationals and their victories were fitting rewards.
Urijah was in action in the opening bout of the championship, meeting Suliasi Lohea-Kaifa (Central North Island), where he booked a place in the cadet 40kg gold medal contest with a majority decision win.
The youngest Kawau sibling was quickly joined in the cadet title deciders by middle brother, Lyric, who got past Locky Brock, of Canterbury, with a judge’s shutout in the 50kg division.
Fighting in the youth welterweight class, Dayton fought twice to book a place on finals night. In his first assignment, he hammered East Coast fighter Mahaki Aramakutu with a 5-nil decision. The semifinal action resulted in another unanimous points victory over South Auckland’s Devontaye Venasio.
It was with an equal mixture of pride and nervousness that the Kawau brothers entered the ring at Tauranga Boys College, championship title aspirations firmly in their sights.
Urijah was the first to leave the ring victorious after a good battle with Central North Island’s Kaitiaki O’ Neil. With just eight months’ boxing under his belt, Urijah took home a national crown, with the judges scoring the contest 4-1 in his favour.
Lyric made it two from two national titles for the Kawau clan in his final’s appearance against Leon Aiken-Wheeler. The cadet 50kg title boxer took it out of the judge’s hands when the referee waved the contest over in the third stanza.
He impressed with a barrage of left and right punches and overpowering his opponent.
The third Kawau brother’s title came early on the card of the youth and elite finals on day four.
Dayton faced what looked to be a big challenge from Chilli Palmer, of Whanganui. The youth welterweight gold medal contest belonged to the Te Toki a Māui age-group pugilist, who took the fight to his opponent and was rewarded with a unanimous victory.
He produced an impressive boxing showpiece with his gameplan and execution on from the first ring of the bell.
The brothers weren’t the only set of siblings from The Te Toki a Māui association to put their name down for nationals with sisters Kealey, Nikah and Milla Perez also attending. However, they were unable to find fights for Nikah and Milla, so only Kealey stepped into the ring.
Her sisters did some sparring with some highly fancied opponents from different divisions and will still take plenty out of the experience. They hope opponents can be found for them next year.
