The three-man Boxing New Zealand team bowed out of the AIBA World Championships, being held in Yekaterinburg Russia, when New Zealand Light Heavyweight Jerome Pampellone dropped a close split decision to Englishmen Benjamin Whittaker.

A place in the medal rounds and the opportunity to become just the third Kiwi to win an AIBA World Championships medal, following in the footsteps of David Tua (1991 – Bronze) and Melanie Horne (2001 – Bronze) almost came to fruition for the Auckland boxer.

New Zealand Head Coach Billy Meehan said immediately after the day ten bout “Jerome boxed hard tonight, but lost a close bout on a split decision. We are very proud of what he has accomplished in winning three bouts at a world championships”. “He has gained a lot of respect from some of the bigger boxing countries over here. The English coach was particularly impressed with him and made comment about his special talent and future in boxing”.

Jerome Pampellone, who left New Zealand for the Russian World Championships as an unheralded and largely unknown athlete, has arrived on the world stage of amateur boxing in reaching the last eight in the AIBA pinnacle event. Olympic qualification is now firmly on the agenda of the New Zealand Light Heavyweight.

Fellow New Zealand teammate David Nyika, who engaged in a torrid battle with his Russian opponent in a round of 16 bout before tasting defeat, will also be eying the Olympic qualification pathway with genuine enthusiasm.

New Zealand elite boxers will engage in the Olympic qualification process at the Asia /Oceania qualification tournament in Wuhan, China 3/14 February 2020 - with a further chance at Olympic qualification coming at the World qualification event in Paris during May 2020.

The upcoming Boxing New Zealand National Championships in Hastings 2/5 October, presents the opportunity for the best Men and Women’s elite boxers in the country to impress the BNZ selectors, as they identify their team to attempt the Olympic qualification journey.

AIBA Men’s World Championships – Yekaterinburg Russia 7-21 September 2019

New Zealand Results – Day Ten

Quarter-Finals

81kg               Jerome Joseph-Pampellone lost to Benjamin Whittaker (England) split decision

Round of 16

81kg               Jerome Joseph-Pampellone defeated A Salah Orabi (Egypt) – 5-0

91kg               David Nyika lost to Muslim Gadzhimagomedov (Russia) 5-0

Round of 32

75kg               Ryan Scaife lost to Vitali Bandarenka (Belarus) 5-0

81kg               Jerome Pampellone defeated El Mohor Ziad (Belgium) 5-0

91kg               David Nyika defeated Ahmed Hagag (Austria) 5-0

Round of 64

81kg               Jerome Pampellone defeated P Kovacs (Hungary)           5-0

Article added: Friday 20 September 2019