OT: Air New Zealand dares to suggest Tongans like a drink

[oliverfennell]

Having spent time in Tonga, as well as the wider Pacific Islands region, I can't say that this "racial profile" is unfair!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel ... 070737.ece

[Brute]

I just wonder who was on the sauce when he thought up the British Masters Boxing Championships.

Michael Banbula won the light heavyweight version the other day by beating Carl Wild. This took Banbula to 9-25-3 with no KO wins, as opposed to Wild's record of 9-12-3 with 1 KO. Is this some kind of "every child gets a prize" idea? The WBF looks sane compared to this.

[oliverfennell]

I just wonder who was on the sauce when he thought up the British Masters Boxing Championships.

Michael Banbula won the light heavyweight version the other day by beating Carl Wild. This took Banbula to 9-25-3 with no KO wins, as opposed to Wild's record of 9-12-3 with 1 KO. Is this some kind of "every child gets a prize" idea? The WBF looks sane compared to this.

Agree 100% and you'll sometimes find me arguing this very case on the British forum, where a lot of people won't hear a bad word said against "Masters" championships because they're put on by small-time promoters and contested by "honest pros".

I know small shows and journeymen are the backbone of the sport, but still the term "championship" connotes something, and many of these Masters bouts are no more than false advertising. Even the WBF and IC belts are typically contested by boxers with winning records and/or at least regional title aspitrations.

Here are two more who have contested Masters belts:

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer
(4-61-9 at the time of the challenge)

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer
(9-86-7 at the time of the challenge)