New Zealand Professional Boxing Association
| Sport | Professional boxing |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | New Zealand |
| Abbreviation | NZPBA |
| Founded | 1966 |
| President | John Conway |
| Vice president | Tui Gallagher |
| Secretary | Pat Leonard |
| Official website | |
| nzpba |
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New Zealand Professional Boxing Association (NZPBA) is one of the two major governing bodies for the sport of professional boxing in New Zealand. NZPBA is a non-profit organisation.
The Body was founded as South Pacific Boxing Association, with the name changed to New Zealand Professional Boxing Association inc in 1984 at their AGM. The new name was greeted and accepted by the World Bodies and Commonwealth Boxing Council.
In 2006, NZPBA had their first female national champion with Daniella Smith defeating Sue Glassey for the Super Welterweight title. Smith is New Zealand's second professional National Champion.
In 2015, NZPBA had the first ever openly gay judge in the world train and officiate with the association. Benjamin Thomas Watt is now a well respected and an active member in the association.
In April 2016, NZPBAssn sanctioned New Zealand's first major World Title fight (from one of the four major sanctioning bodies) for the WBC female World Middleweight Title with Kali Reis defeating Maricela Cornejo by split decision. The fight night also featured New Zealands two of New Zealand's first WBC Silver title fights with Melissa St. Vil defeating Baby Nansen and Ronica Jeffrey defeating Gentiane Lupi. On the same night, NZPBA had New Zealand's first female professional boxing referee, with Shelley Ashton officiating Nailini Helu vs Kirsty Lupeamanu.
Former NZPBA President Lance Revill, is well known to stating his opinion to New Zealand's local media, causing major scrutiny to the association. Most recently, his comments were more directed at Joseph Parker. Since the beginning of Parker's career, Revill has made regular comments about Parker including when he turned pro, Parker's promoters only being interested in money, Parker being too hyped up and his believe that Parker didn't win his world title fight in December 2016. In February 2017, it was announced that due to the backlash of his comments against Parker, Revill resigned as president of NZPBA. Vise President John Conway was named interim President.
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