Boxing: It's make or break time for Meehan
WBA title fight against Cameron a must-win for both veterans.
![[Image: SCCZEN_A_040314gn05bop_620x310.jpg]](http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201447/SCCZEN_A_040314gn05bop_620x310.jpg)
Kali Meehan fights Shane Cameron this weekend in a bout which will see the winner crowned WBA Oceania heavyweight champion.
This one's for Avondale.
It's been nearly 30 years since a teenage Kali Meehan stumbled into a West Auckland boxing gym to learn the sweet science.
At the time, Meehan was simply taking part in boxing to keep out of trouble, while his mates managed to find it.
But after nearly two decades as a professional, Meehan knows the end is in sight.
It looked like he was done a couple of years back when he lost to Travis Walker and his days of being a contender appeared to be behind him.
But he ended his dormancy with victory in June's inaugural Super 8 tournament in Auckland.
There was a curious sense of irony that Meehan (41-5) left New Zealand as a 28-year-old and travelled the world to box but his biggest payday came in his home city, nearly two decades after he moved to Australia.
The next chapter in the 44-year-old Meehan's book comes this Saturday night when he meets Shane Cameron on the North Shore in a bout that will likely spell the end of the line for the loser.
The winner will claim the vacant WBA Oceania heavyweight title.
Their bout is the headline attraction alongside the cruiserweight Super 8 tournament. Kiwi cruiserweight David Aloua will also meet Australian Anthony McCracken during a huge night of boxing.
Meehan said this fight was about securing his legacy alongside David Tua as New Zealand's best heavyweight, while Cameron (29-4) has confirmed he won't continue in the sport if he doesn't have his hand raised at the North Shore Events Centre.
"I've always dedicated every fight to somewhere; it gives me motivation when I train," Meehan said.
"And, this fight here I'm dedicating to Avondale."
You can sense that Meehan needed that Super 8 victory a few months back for many reasons.
The $200,000 winner's purse was a nice boost: "Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick," he grinned.
But, more importantly, for a man who values honour and respect, it was a night where he could prove to those who knew him when he was younger that he had made something of himself.
"It was good for everyone to see it; my family and friends. It was awesome."
People in New Zealand probably don't realise how good Meehan was. He did fight for the WBO title in 2004 but was edged in a split decision by American Lamon Brewster.
He spent 2008-2009 as the No 1 contender in the WBA but never got a shot at the belt held by 2.13m Russian Nikolai Valuev as boxing's politics played their part.
The 1.96m Meehan has also worked many jobs in between climbing in the ring such as a painter and a garbage man while there was also a stint in the mines in Queensland. Meehan has three boys and he is fiercely proud of all of them. The middle one, Willis, has played a game for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL and at 19 will fight on this weekend's undercard against Will Quarrie in his professional boxing debut.
It remains to be seen how long Meehan can stay active in the fight game for but he will be there to provide advice for Willis.
WBA title fight against Cameron a must-win for both veterans.
Kali Meehan fights Shane Cameron this weekend in a bout which will see the winner crowned WBA Oceania heavyweight champion.
This one's for Avondale.
It's been nearly 30 years since a teenage Kali Meehan stumbled into a West Auckland boxing gym to learn the sweet science.
At the time, Meehan was simply taking part in boxing to keep out of trouble, while his mates managed to find it.
But after nearly two decades as a professional, Meehan knows the end is in sight.
It looked like he was done a couple of years back when he lost to Travis Walker and his days of being a contender appeared to be behind him.
But he ended his dormancy with victory in June's inaugural Super 8 tournament in Auckland.
There was a curious sense of irony that Meehan (41-5) left New Zealand as a 28-year-old and travelled the world to box but his biggest payday came in his home city, nearly two decades after he moved to Australia.
The next chapter in the 44-year-old Meehan's book comes this Saturday night when he meets Shane Cameron on the North Shore in a bout that will likely spell the end of the line for the loser.
The winner will claim the vacant WBA Oceania heavyweight title.
Their bout is the headline attraction alongside the cruiserweight Super 8 tournament. Kiwi cruiserweight David Aloua will also meet Australian Anthony McCracken during a huge night of boxing.
Meehan said this fight was about securing his legacy alongside David Tua as New Zealand's best heavyweight, while Cameron (29-4) has confirmed he won't continue in the sport if he doesn't have his hand raised at the North Shore Events Centre.
"I've always dedicated every fight to somewhere; it gives me motivation when I train," Meehan said.
"And, this fight here I'm dedicating to Avondale."
You can sense that Meehan needed that Super 8 victory a few months back for many reasons.
The $200,000 winner's purse was a nice boost: "Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick," he grinned.
But, more importantly, for a man who values honour and respect, it was a night where he could prove to those who knew him when he was younger that he had made something of himself.
"It was good for everyone to see it; my family and friends. It was awesome."
People in New Zealand probably don't realise how good Meehan was. He did fight for the WBO title in 2004 but was edged in a split decision by American Lamon Brewster.
He spent 2008-2009 as the No 1 contender in the WBA but never got a shot at the belt held by 2.13m Russian Nikolai Valuev as boxing's politics played their part.
The 1.96m Meehan has also worked many jobs in between climbing in the ring such as a painter and a garbage man while there was also a stint in the mines in Queensland. Meehan has three boys and he is fiercely proud of all of them. The middle one, Willis, has played a game for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL and at 19 will fight on this weekend's undercard against Will Quarrie in his professional boxing debut.
It remains to be seen how long Meehan can stay active in the fight game for but he will be there to provide advice for Willis.