The young Kiwi-Indian boxer Haransh Singh - fondly known as “Punjabi Express” within his boxing gym - continues to make waves within New Zealand’s amateur boxing circuit with the latest feat of winning the prestigious North Island Golden Glove Championship 2022 held during Queen’s Birthday long weekend on June 4-6 at Taupo.
Singh won both his bouts, defeating the current New Zealand Champ in his category (63.5 kg, male) in the final to claim his first Golden Gloves title, considered to provide a launch pad to not only amateur boxers seeking glory and rise to compete at higher levels such as national and commonwealth games.
Currently ranked number two in his weight and category, a buoyant Singh is already eyeing to compete at the Commonwealth games as his next high goal.
Earlier, Indian Weekender had reported in July 2020 when Singh became the first Kiwi-Indian-Sikh amateur boxer to win his first fight at the Auckland Boxing Association’s amateur fight tournament.
Back then, with his maiden tournament participation and win, Singh was seen as one of the most promising young boxing talents for the Auckland Boxing Association and a rising sports star within the Kiwi-Indian community – an expectation that Singh is currently living up to its full potential.
Singh gave all credit for his success to his coach Lance Revill and Assistant coach Johnathan Nevin of Revill’s Gym in Pakuranga, along with the blessings of his parents and grandparents, and extended family back in India.
Indian Weekender had then also reported how Singh’s boxing prowess and persistence to continue with the sport at the highest level had convinced the Auckland Boxing Association to relax the rules and allow him to play along with his beard and head turban – symbols of his Sikh faith.
Since then, Singh has remained absolutely focused, disciplined, and committed to his goals of playing boxing at competitive levels, and the Golden Glove championship “is just a beginning.”
Singh’s sporting success – an inspiration for ethnic migrant communities
Haransh’s sporting success is an inspiration not only for individuals and families of the Kiwi-Indian community but also for entire ethnic migrant communities who often have to face numerous challenges – socio-economic and psychological - in their respective migrant journeys.
Haransh’s father, Jasjit Singh, told Indian Weekender how after first arriving in the country as a new migrant in 2017, the family worked long hours to find a footing in the new country while their adolescent son struggled to deal with the anxieties of leaving his home, grandparents and mingling well in the Kiwi-society when they found boxing sport and Revill’s gym to let him channelise his energy in a constructive manner.
So what began as a physical outlet for Haransh’s (and his younger brother’s) unsettled emotions, boxing soon became a passion and purpose for him, Jasjit said.
However, it is not to be lost that Haransh was a natural athlete and a budding sportsperson back in India and played well at local levels.
Eventually, he brought in that sports background, including stamina and a focused attitude to the game of boxing at Revill’s boxing gym, and slowly began to shine.
Coaches – Lance Revill and Jono – played an important role
The two coaches of Revill’s boxing gym – Lance Revill and Jonothan Nevin, had been instrumental in Haransh’s success in the boxing ring, right from identifying the talent to putting in a hard training regimen to eventually backing Singh’s boxing prowess and zeal to excel competitively.
Speaking with Indian Weekender coach Revill revealed that from a very early Singh has expressed a desire and ambitions to play the sport competitively within New Zealand’s boxing circuit.
This year Revill’s Boxing Gym shone at the Golden Glove boxing championship 2022 and returned with three gold medals (including Haransh).
Wendell Stanley, currently the 71kg New Zealand Champion and on the shortlist for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in July and Kheva Potatau were the other two gold medallists for the team.
