By GABRIEL KATUHO
Finance company, National Finance Group, is the naming rights sponsor of the 2025 National Boxing championships to be staged in Lae.
The cheque of K54, 000 was officially presented to the PNG Boxing Union (PNGBU) yesterday in Port Moresby by the National Finance
Group General Manager, Operations, William Haylock presented the cheque of K54,000 to the PNG Boxing Union board yesterday to confirm National Finance’s sponsorship and commitment to supporting sports in PNG.
“National Finance is proud to announce our sponsorship of the 2025 PNG national Boxing Championships. We are honoured to hold the naming rights to this year’s event, which will proudly be known as the National Finance PNG Boxing Championships 2025,” Mr. Haylock said.
“The national championships are the most important event in PNG boxing, which brings together top fighters from across the country, give young boxers a national platform and unites the communities. This is where champions are discovered and we are proud to help make it happen.”
“Boxing represents strength, resilience and discipline which are the qualities that National Finance believe in and we are committed to a long-term partnership with PNG Boxing.”
He added that the sponsorship should enable the championships to be professionally delivered to boxing fans in Lae next weekend.
PNGBU president Dr Gideon Kendino thanked National Finance for the sponsorship and support for the championships, which would kick-start preparations for boxers to participate in the 2027 Pacific Games in Tahiti.
“We topped the medal tally in boxing during the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara. We took 19 boxers and we came away with 14 medals – eight gold, three silver and two bronze. Out of the eight gold medals, the women got six and the men got two,” he said.
Dr Kendino said PNG had the strongest boxers, especially women, and will try to defend their titles in the Oceania Championships in Tahiti in September this year, while the national championships in Lae will identify talents for 2027 Pacific Games also in Tahiti.
Meanwhile, PNGBU referee and judge Kazu Temu confirmed that 10 affiliated associations were ready to participate in the championships with NCD bringing the biggest contingent of 19 boxers.
He said the male boxers would fight in 13 weight categories while the female boxers will fight in 12 weight categories.
He added that registration of boxers was still open and PNGBU would be lenient on associations that faced financial issues.