Boxing for kids: They know it makes cents | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

KATE NEWTON

The boxers who enter the Hastings ring on June 30 will be brave, but not as brave as the kids for whom they will fight.

When Hawke's Bay Prison officer Ford Kemara's 12-year-old son, Shaquille, was diagnosed with cancer a year ago his workmates rallied behind him.

But Carol Whatuira took her support one step further and decided to adapt an Auckland charity boxing event she had participated in to raise money for Hawke's Bay kids and their families living with cancer.

The Box for the Little Battlers snowballed until Carol had too many corrections officers for the event.

"It was so overwhelming, we had too many fights," Carol said.

Local fighters will be fighting correction officers from around the North Island who had wanted to lend their support to a fellow but distant colleague, and have been training for two months.

The Hastings District Council has donated the Hastings Indoor Stadium for the event and corporate boxes, ringside seats and public seats will be available closer to the date.

The main challenge for Carol at the moment, however, is finding sponsors.

"We need the community to come and support it. That's all we ask for. They can bring their whanau or their whole marae. We want the whole thing sold,"

Shaquille is looking forward to seeing some of his friends in the ring and hoping to see a few knockouts.

"Shaquille has been so brave and wonderful and his family have been so supportive," Carol said.

"He's taking on a big monster."

The Hawke's Bay fighters are Jason Cuthbert, Derek Teariki, Lawrence Ereatara, Felicity Taukamou, Kelli Hammond, Ian Jarrett, Jason Edwards and Donna Parsons.