The most prestigious trophy on offer at each Boxing New Zealand National Championships is the Jameson Belt awarded to the most scientific senior boxer. The Jameson Belt was presented to the New Zealand Boxing Association in 1927, by well-known Dublin distillers John Jameson and Sons.

The original deed of gift stated that the Jameson Belt would remain the property of the first boxer to win the trophy in three consecutive years. However due to the history and the value of the belt this is unlikely to ever happen.

Double Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist David Nyika, will be aiming to write his own piece of Jameson Belt history, at the 2018 National Championships to be held in Christchurch 2-6 October 2018, as just the second Heavyweight to win the Boxing New Zealand big prize. Nyika has already lifted aloft the Jameson Belt in victory, after winning the 2014 Light Heavyweight title in Queenstown.

Shane Cameron became the first boxer over the middleweight limit, to win the Jameson Belt, when he won the Heavyweight title at the 2001 New Zealand championships held in Taupo. There is an interesting aside to accompany the Cameron victory. The Fielding Heavyweight defeated Adam Forsyth, who came across the ditch from Western Australia to compete in his country of birth, at the Nationals Championships A couple of weeks after  boxing in Taupo, Forsyth annexed the Australian Heavyweight crown – which ranked him second in New Zealand and the number one Heavyweight in Australia.

In 1927, Auckland Bantamweight Jack O’Sullivan was the first to receive the Jameson Belt at the conclusion of the Invercargill National Championships. Jack O’Sullivan’s offspring would go on to incredible success in the thoroughbred racing industry, with son Dave a champion trainer and grandson Lance arguably the best kiwi jockey of the modern era.

The two most successful winners of the Jameson Belt are Trevor Shailer and Ron Jackson. Shailer won the belt four times, twice as a light welterweight, in 1990 and 1994 and twice as welterweight in 1995 and 1999. The 1999 win, was more remarkable for the fact that Shailer had a four years absence from the sport, before returning to annex the Jameson Belt again.

During the 1970s the Jackson brothers made the belt their own, winning it six times between them. From 1973 to 1978 the only names on the belt were the brothers Jackson. Ron won the coveted trophy in 1973/74/76 and 1977, which meant, he was twice in a position to have taken the belt outright. The first success for Ron, was in the welter division, with the other three, in the light middleweight class. David won one apiece in the welter and light middle division.

Running parallel with the Jameson Belt is the Joe Thwaites Shield awarded to the trainer of the Jameson Belt winner each year. Hutt Valley legendary coach Alan Scaife produced a remarkable run in the 1970’s, when David and Ron Jackson won the Jameson Belt in six successive years. The Scaife name figures on the belt on three further occasions, with Alan’s son Grant, coaching Trevor Shailer (1995) and his sons in Harrison and Ryan to Jameson Belt success

Two boxers to win the Jameson Belt three times were Paddy Donovan and Jeff Rackley. Only Oamaru lightweight, Norm Jenkins in 1936 and Otago lightweight, Colin Kerr in 1947 have won the Jameson Belt, without winning the national title.

The only boxer to have won the Jameson Belt and the other two special senior trophy awards is Billy Graham. The Jameson Belt was awarded to Graham in 1967, while he won the Bill O’Connor Cup (youngest senior champion) in 1964, 1966, 1967 and the Parker memorial Trophy (best loser) in 1973.

JAMESON BELT (Most Scientific Senior Male)

Year    Location                   Category              Winner                                Coach

1927        Invercargill                         Bantamweight             Jack O’Sullivan (Auckland)

1928        Auckland                            Bantamweight             Cyril Hurne (Wellington)                                                 

1929        Greymouth                          Featherweight             Harry Johns (Auckland)         Ted Caughey                

1930        Palmerston North              Featherweight             Bobby Purdie (Auckland)

1931        Ashburton                          Lightweight                Harold Thomas (Wellington)           Tim Tracy

1932        New Plymouth                   Lightweight                Harry Hughes (Whangarei)

1933        Blenheim                             Lightweight                Bobby Purdie (Auckland)

1934        Hastings                             Featherweight             Clarrie Gordon (Taranaki)

1935        Dunedin                              Lightweight                Norm Fisher (Christchurch)             Jim Musson

1936        Wellington                          Lightweight                Norm Jenkins (Oamaru)

1937       Greymouth                           Flyweight                   Hughie Sheridan (Auckland)

1938        Gisborne                             Lightweight                Jack O’Connor (Christchurch)

1939        Invercargill                         Lightweight                Tommy Dunn (Hutt Valley)             Dick Dunn

World War 2

1946        Auckland                            Lightweight                Jackie Jenkins (Auckland)            George Cammick

1947        Christchurch                      Lightweight                Colin Kerr (Otago)                            Archie Leckie

1948        Dunedin                              Welterweight              Jimmy McIvor (Hawkes Bay)        Keith Fitzwater

1949        Wellington                         Lightweight                Ken Anderson (Otago)                     Claude Wylie

1950        Greymouth                          Featherweight             Jim Pile (Ashburton)                     Tom Pile

1951        Palmerston North              Welterweight              Billy Beazley (Wellington)             Bill Hedburgh

1952        Invercargill                         L/Welterweight           Joe McNally (Otago)                      Harold Kindley

1953        Wanganui                           Bantamweight             Jackie Harrison (Hawkes Bay)

1954        Wellington                         L/Middleweight          Vern Tuck (Greymouth)                   Jack “Doc” Finlay

1956        Hamilton                             Bantamweight             Paddy Donovan (Hawkes Bay)     

1957        Greymouth                          Featherweight             Maurice Purton (Timaru)              Martin Maunsell

1958        Hastings                             Featherweight             Garry Anderson (Southland)         Dick Baker

1959        Timaru                                 Bantamweight             Paddy Donovan (Hawkes Bay)     

1960        Auckland                            L/Welterweight           Brian Maunsell (Canterbury)         Martin Maunsell

1961        Invercargill                         Featherweight             Denis McKenna (Taranaki)            Roy Bedford

1962        Gisborne                             Lightweight                Paddy Donovan (Hawkes Bay)      

1963        Christchurch                      Welterweight              Wally Coe (Wellington)                    Dick Dunn

1964        Wellington                         Lightweight                Manuel Santos (Auckland)               Ron Grimmer

1965        Dunedin                              Featherweight             Brian Kendall (Canterbury)             Wally Darrell

1966        Rotorua                               Featherweight             Brian Kendall (Canterbury)             Wally Darrell

1967        Greymouth                          L/Welterweight          Billy Graham (Wellington)               Dick Dunn

1968        Palmerston North              Featherweight             Rex Redden (Wellington)               Bobby Elley

1969        Gisborne                             Featherweight             Jeff Rackley (Nelson)                     Les Rackley

1970        Timaru                                 Featherweight             Pat Ryan (Taranaki)                        Martin Ryan

1971        Auckland                            Welterweight              Jeff Rackley (Nelson)                      Les Rackley

1972        Nelson                                 Welterweight              Jeff Rackley (Nelson)                     Les Rackley

1973        Hamilton                             Welterweight              Ron Jackson (Hutt Valley)              Alan Scaife

1974        Christchurch                      L/Middleweight          Ron Jackson (Hutt Valley)              Alan Scaife

1975        Wellington                         Welterweight              David Jackson (Hutt Valley)            Alan Scaife

1976        Timaru                                 L/Middleweight          Ron Jackson (Hutt Valley)             Alan Scaife

1977        New Plymouth                   L/Middleweight          Ron Jackson (Hutt Valley)              Alan Scaife

1978        Nelson                                 L/Middleweight          David Jackson (Hutt Valle)            Alan Scaife

1979        Wellington                         Welterweight              John Coombes (Taranaki)               Peter Priest

1980        Invercargill                         Bantamweight            Danny Meehan (Manawatu)           Malcolm Nicol

1981        Upper Hutt                         Welterweight              Steven Renwick (Wellington)          Chris Kenny

1982        Upper Hutt                         Welterweight              Steven Renwick (Wellington)          Chris Kenny         

1983        Timaru                                 L/Middleweight          Michael Flavell (Waikato)              Bill Miles

1984        Rotorua                               L/Middleweight          Alan McNamara (Nelson)              Les Rackley

1985        Christchurch                      Featherweight             Billy Meehan (Manawatu)              Bill Meehan snr

1986        Hamilton                             Welterweight              Barry Galbraith (Nelson)                 Les Rackley

1987        Timaru                                 L/Middleweight         Frankie Cunningham (Taranaki)    Pat Ryan

1988        Upper Hutt                         L/Middleweight          Jason Eade (Canterbury)                Peter Bell

1989        Auckland                            Middleweight             Michael Bell (Canterbury)               Peter Bell

1990        Christchurch                      L/Welterweight          Trevor Shailer (Manawatu)             Trevor Shailer snr

1991        Tauranga                            Bantamweight            Gary Jago (Auckland)                      Dr John McKay

1992        Timaru                                 Welterweight              Dean Calvert (Canterbury)              Kevin Barry jnr

1993        Hastings                             Lightweight                Danny Masterson (Auckland)        Dr John McKay   

1994        Christchurch                      L/Welterweight          Trevor Shailer (Manawatu)             Michael Meehan

1995        Auckland                            Welterweight              Trevor Shailer (Manawatu)             Michael Meehan

1996        Temuka                               Bantamweight             Noah Lopez (Canterbury)               Phillip Shatford

1997        Taupo                                  L/Welterweight           Robert Walker (CNI))                       Chris Walker

1998        Invercargill                         Welterweight              Emmett Gradwell (Auckland)          Dr John McKay

1999        Upper Hutt                         Welterweight              Trevor Shailer (Well/HV)                  Grant Scaife

2000        Christchurch                      L/Middleweight          Kahukura Bentson (Auckland Inv) - Cameron Todd

2001        Taupo                                  Heavyweight              Shane Cameron (Feilding)               Henry Schuster

2002        Timaru                                 L/Middleweight          Kahukura Bentson (Auckland)      No award

2003        Palmerston North              L/Welterweight          Steven Heremaia (Auckland)         Chris Martin

2004        Invercargill                         Welterweight              Kahukura Bentson (Central Auckland) - C Todd

2005        Lower Hutt                         Welterweight              Joe Blackbourn (Well/HV)              Russell Oliver

2006        Rotorua                               Middleweight             Nathan McEwen (Canterbury)     R Morgan/C Adams

2007        North Shore                        Middleweight             Joe Blackbourn (Well/HV)             Russell Oliver

2008        Upper Hutt                         Middleweight             Nathan McEwen (Canterbury)        Rhys Morgan

2009        Rotorua                               Welterweight              Leti Emelioleti (Well/HV)                Chris Kenny

2010        Christchurch                      L/Heavyweight           Reece Papuni (Canterbury)             Phillip Shatford

2011        Lower Hutt                         L/Welterweight          Harrison Scaife (Well/HV)               Grant Scaife

2012        Auckland                            Welterweight              Bowyn Morgan (Canterbury)           Phillip Shatford

2013        Auckland                            Lightweight                Chad Milnes (Central Auckland)     Harry Ottey

2014        Queenstown                     L/Heavyweight           David Nyika (Waikato)                       Ric Ellis

2015        Invercargill                        Flyweight                      Ivan Pavich (Kirikiriroa                     Jeff Stutt

2016        Rotorua                               L/Welter                     Richie Hadlow (Otago)                      Stewart Mitchell

2017        Rotorua                               Middleweight              Ryan Scaife (Well/HV)                     Grant Scaife

Article added: Thursday 20 September 2018