Reece Papuni (Ngā Rauru, Ngāi Tahu, Ruawaipu), is the first to acknowledge that his twenty-five-year boxing career helped make him the man he is today. Now, as founder and head coach of Papuni Boxing Ōtautahi, he is sharing those same important lessons with the rangatahi who join his boxing classes.

“Our kaupapa is not just about teaching the physical aspects of boxing. We want to create a safe, supportive environment where rangatahi can learn key values and life skills that will enable them to take care of their own physical and mental health and wellbeing.”

“It’s all about giving them a safe space where they can learn the importance of respect, commitment, integrity, loyalty, honesty and self-discipline. Our ultimate goal is to help them become well-rounded individuals and positive role models within their own communities.

“Most kids want to belong and feel valued, and with our boxing kaupapa, they can learn about balance, the value of hard work, and have fun while doing it. We place a strong emphasis on leading by example and showing rangatahi what whanaungatanga and hard work look like in practice,” says Reece.

“When I was nine, my whāngai parents Tim and Kerry Papuni welcomed me into their whānau, rescuing me from a troubled life. I had been getting into mischief living with my mum in Auckland, and with no positive male role models around me, I was becoming quite a challenge for her to manage. It was after I had been introduced to boxing that I gained a sense of belonging. That helped shape my character and approach to life.”

Boxing quickly became Reece’s passion and he went on to compete as an amateur until he was twenty-four. He achieved numerous career milestones, including winning three consecutive senior New Zealand national titles (2009, 2010, 2011); he competed for New Zealand in the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games and at the 2011 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, before beginning a ten-year professional boxing career.

After retiring from competition in 2020, Reece and his partner Nadia Harney wanted to give back to the community, so in 2021, they established their own boxing academy. Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu Wave funding has enabled them to establish their own spacious headquarters in Addington, and an official open day in February sparked significant community interest. The academy is now flourishing and has grown from its original twenty members to more than seventy.

“Wave funding gave us an incredible confidence boost, and we’ve been able to lease a suitable building and fit it out with quality equipment like boxing gloves, bags, floor mats, and all the things that help make our space unique, warm, and welcoming,” he says.

“Our whānau volunteers have also played a vital role in supporting us and our kaupapa. We are incredibly grateful for their dedication and hard work. Without their support, we wouldn’t be as solid as we are today,” Reece says.

With the basics now in place, Reece is excited about the potential that Papuni programmes have to expose rangatahi to positive role models and instill a strong work ethic.

“I lacked direction at 10 and I wasn’t sure what I wanted in life. Boxing taught me about the importance of having aspirations and the fulfillment that comes with achieving goals. Fortunately, I had exceptional mentors and coaches who helped steer me onto a better course. That’s the sort of guidance and encouragement I want to pass on, so rangatahi can discover their own dreams and achieve their own goals.”