The PNG team of five boxers which includes Olympian Thadius Katua will step into the ring tonight at the Inglis Stables at Randwick, Sydney to take part in the “Second to None Charity Boxing” night.
The event which is a being promoted as a commemorative event for the 75th Anniversary of the Kokoda Track will feature PNG’s Katua (60kg), Charles Keama (52kg), Beupu Noki (56kg), John Ume (64kg) and female Laizani Soma (60kg) who will put on their gloves to face boxers from New South Wales and other states.
Assistant coach, Mark Keto said he has been relishing the opportunity he has been given in the weeklong training camp leading up to tonight.
“We are not only here (in Sydney) for boxing but will remember the great sacrifices made by Australian soldiers and Papua New Guineans on the Kokoda Track 75 years ago.
“I encourage Papua New Guineans and even Australians who have close connections with our country either now or in the past to turn up at this event to support a great cause.
“I thank Peter Morrison from Network Kokoda and his organisation for this great initiative to help soldiers and other Kokoda projects for giving us this opportunity to further our boxing knowledge,” said Keto.
Keto also thanked the PNG Olympic Committee who provided the bulk of the funding as part of boxing’s preparations for the 2017 Mini Pacific Games in Vanuatu in December and the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
“All of them know they are competing for a place in the Oceania team so I am expecting them to go all out on Friday,” said Keto.