The Star: November 15, 2018

36 Thursday November 15 2018
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
The Star
Sport
Big title shot for Beauchamp
BIG BREAK:
Nort
Beauchamp
will get the
biggest break
of his boxing
career in
March when
he fights for the
WBC Asia Super
Featherweight
title. PHOTO:
BEAUCHAMP
FAMILY
• By Gordon Findlater
CHRISTCHURCH looks set to
host two New Zealand Breakers
ANBL games in the 2019-20
season.
It is understood a number of
dates have been pencilled for
booking at Horncastle Arena in
2019 and 2020 while next season’s
ANBL schedule is finalised.
Breakers general manager
Dillion Boucher has previously
commented on being open to
the idea of playing Breakers
regular season games outside of
Auckland.
• By Jacob Page
CANTERBURY boxer Nort
Beauchamp has spent his
whole career gambling on
himself and it is starting to
pay off.
The 33-year-old, who
was born in Thailand and
moved to Christchurch
when he was two, has toiled
for the past decade as a semiprofessional
fighter trying to
get
Boucher would not comment
on the possibility of the Breakers
coming to Christchurch
during the 2019-20 season until
the schedule for next season is
released. However, he did say
the team would love to come to
Christchurch if there was an option
to do so.
Canterbury Rams general
manager Caleb Harrison is hopeful
of Christchurch getting at
least two Breakers games next
season and said the Breakers had
planned to bring at least one game
to Christchurch this season but
couldn’t do so due to Horncastle
noticed. His upset victory over
world rated Australian Joel
Brunker (33-3) in Melbourne
in July earned him the thenvacant
IBO Oceania Super
Featherweight belt and now he
wants more.
In March, he will compete
for the WBC Asia Super
Featherweight Title in
Singapore against a currently
unknown opponent.
“I had to take a pay-cut
just to get that fight in July,
but I knew it could get me
noticed and I studied the tape
beforehand and I thought I was
just a bit faster than him,” he
said.
“I was originally on the
Joseph Parker undercard
but this fight in
Singapore will be my
biggest to date and I
want to focus on it,
even though I don’t
know my opponent
yet.”
Beauchamp did a
bit of boxing while
at Hillmorton High
School “just for
fitness” but didn’t have
his first bout until he
was 21.
“It was after my
first bout that I
Arena already being booked.
The Breakers haven’t played
in Christchurch since playing a
pre-season match in 2014. Their
return to Christchurch would add
to the list of games at Horncastle
Arena recently.
On November 29 the Tall Blacks
will play in Christchurch for the
first time in 14 years when they
host Jordan. Currently 2000 tickets
have been sold for the match.
In June the Rams broke the NBL
crowd attendance record when
they played the Wellington Saints
in front of a sold-out crowd of
6000 at Horncastle Arena.
knew this was something that I
wanted to do long-term, but it’s
been a hard road,” he said.
Beauchamp has amassed a
17-win, two-loss record and has
never been stopped or knocked
out.
He said being 33, he knew he
had a limited window left to
find success.
“I’ve been fighting as a semipro
for a long time just sticking
to the plan and taking an
opportunity I get,” he said.
Beauchamp often gives
up his time to train younger
boxers. He is planning to open
his own gym in Addington
next month.
“I always try to stick to the
plan,” he said.
“I say to my young guys
that defence is important and
safety is important. If you want
a long career, you can’t take
too many big shots or get into
brawls.”
“I started late in the game
but it’s been my ability to stay
out of brawls that has allowed
me to get this opportunity at
33.”
Breakers could have games at Horncastle Arena
BALLERS: The Breakers look set to return to
Christchurch for the first time since 2014.