Two young local boxers have each brought home a title from the prestigious North Island Golden Gloves championships.
Logan Rowden and Joe Masinua, both 17, were the only two amateur boxers fighting out of the east Auckland boxing gym, The Box Office.
The tournament, held in Tauranga over the Labour Day long weekend, had more than 205 entrants.
Rowden, who took up boxing only two years ago, competed in the 75kg youth novice category and won in a unanimous decision to become champion.
Meanwhile Masinua put on a spectacular display of skills in the 80kg youth novice category to also come away with a title.
Being affiliated with The Box Office, the pair have a star-studded line-up of coaches and mentors including Henry Schuster, a familiar name in the boxing community.
He’s known widely for coaching ‘The Mountain Warrior’ Shane Cameron from his amateur days through his entire professional career.
Schuster has coached multiple big names in New Zealand boxing including David Tua, Junior Fa and Joseph Parker, alongside being the New Zealand head coach for a number of years.
The boys are also coached by Jason Lynch and gym owner Kurt Mckee.
“Both boys are dedicated to their craft. They train four to five times per week and are consistent in their approach to training,” says Lynch.
“Over the past number of months their dedication and commitment to the art of boing has proven worthwhile.”
Lynch says the boys are the best of friends and consistently set new standards for each other, by each other.
“Supported by the families, the sky’s the limit for both boys,” he says.
The Box Office has only been operating for three years, and already has a number of amateur boxers competing.
