The Middleweight championship, were one of the four original weight divisions contested at the inaugural New Zealand Boxing Association championships, held in 1902 in Christchurch.

It would appear that just four competitors lined up in the middleweight division. The opening night of competition saw C Anderson defeat W Robertson and F Nash get past H Kennedy. A newspaper report of the first night stated that Anderson had a very good opponent in Roberston, but his superior science told in the end. 

The report continued that Nash and Kennedy, were perhaps the two most evenly matched who appeared in the ring and at the end of the third round there was not much between them. If anything, Nash showed more initiative in attack, Kennedy being more on the defence. They fought a fourth round of two minutes in duration, which while it lasted was exceedingly exciting. The announcement that Nash had won evoked the only signs of dissent given by the audience during the evening.

F Nash from Christchurch met C Anderson also from Christchurch in the Middleweight championship final. Nash attacked with vigour in the first round, and though Anderson made an excellent fight of it, the result was not much in doubt at the end of the second round. The last round saw some good work from both contestants, Nash being declared the winner.

Jim Griffin was a knockout specialist, who was reputed to have won all fourteen of his amateur bouts by the short route. His amateur victories included the 1903 Middleweight title, while the following year he took out both the Middleweight and Heavyweight titles. The Australasian Middleweight crown in 1903, was followed by the Middle and Heavyweight titles the following year.

The Greymouth boxer went on to compile 24 win, 2 losses, 2 draws, in the professional ranks, with the majority of his fights being over the ditch in Sydney and Melbourne. Such was his power and tenacity that his first 13 wins came by way of the short route.

1905 champion Archie Leckie, who beat the first Middleweight National champion FA Nash, turned professional and won the professional Middleweight crown in a short career in the paid to punch ranks.

After his professional career ended, Archie Leckie became probably New Zealand's best-known boxing instructor for more than 30 years. He had in his boxing school in Dunedin, with such champions as Lachie MacDonald, Bobby Fulcher, Tommy Griffiths, Hector Leckie and Johnny Leckie emerging from his boxing school.

Auckland boxer Dick Meale won back to back titles in 1921 and 1922, before launching a sterling career as a professional referee. From 1927 to 1941 Dick was the third man in the middle for 84 bouts with the best men in the New Zealand ring.

Alf Cleverley, who beat Clarrie Pocock in 1925 to split the Ashburton boxer’s two titles, is remembered at every National Championship with the presentation of the Cleverley Memorial Belt awarded to the Middleweight champion.

The Petone pugilist competed at the 1928 Olympic Games (along with Ted Morgan) in the Light Heavyweight division, losing on points in the first round to Alf Jackson from Great Britain. After the Olympics, he competed in the Tailtean Games in Dublin then fought professionally in Long Beach, California.

The 1939 National Championships, saw Southlander Bill Enright defeat Ron Tonks from Ashburton in the Middlewight Gold Medal contest. On the back of the National title, Enright along with Hutt Valley Lightweight Tommy Dunn where selected for the 1940 Olympic Games,  which were originally awarded to Japan, before being reassigned to Helsinki. The 1940 Olympics and the 1944 London Olympics never took place because of World War 2. 

Both boxers and trainer Son Tall from Invercargill never received any recognition of their Olympic selection - until at special presentation at the 1998 National Championships in Invercargill, Bill Enright and the families of Tommy Dunn and Son Tall, were presented with Boxing New Zealand  specially framed blazer pockets in recognition of their Olympic selection.

Maurice Tuck trained in Greymouth by ‘Doc’ Finlay, set what was considered at the time a record, never to be beaten, of six national titles, with the last five in succession. His golden run commenced in 1948 with the annexation of the Middleweight crown and was repeated in 1950. In 1951 he dropped down a weight division to take the inaugural Light Middleweight title and defended his title the following year. The Middleweight crown was regained in 1953 and successfully defended during 1954. In addition Maurice had an Australasian title to his credit and represented New Zealand at the 1954 Empire Games.

Article added: Thursday 05 November 2020