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Story: Boxing and wrestling

Wartime boxing

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Wartime boxing

During the First and Second world wars, boxing tournaments were organised for members of the armed forces. New Zealanders fought one another and also members of the different Allied forces. This is a featherweight bout at the New Zealand Division boxing championships held in Syria in June 1942. These tournaments drew big crowds of soldiers.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, War History Collection (PAColl-4161)

Reference: DA-02525

by Harold Gear Paton

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Joseph Romanos, Boxing and wrestling – Amateur boxing, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/37959/wartime-boxing (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Joseph Romanos, published 27 April 2012, updated 1 January 2015.