X The Boxer
Xavier Mata’afa-Ikinofo
PARIS 2024, UPDATE
In April 2024 we were notified that Xavier was excluded from the Boxing NZ Olympic Qualifying team. Below is a brief summary and timeline leading up to this decision.
August 2023
ABA Stadium, Auckland - NZ Olympic team trials. Xavier beats 2 Current NZ Champions in 2 weight classes, but was not selected for the team. NZ selectors choose one of the Boxers that Xavier defeated at the trial.
We are given 3 days to notify Boxing NZ of our intention to appeal the selection decision and on what grounds. We are then given 7 days to submit a complete written appeal.
September 2023
The appeal is rejected and the original decision is upheld. We are told that if the boxer who was selected in front of Xavier fails to qualify for the Olympics at the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands in November that Xavier would be selected for the next world qualifier OR that the division would be open for contention again and a box-off would be held for all eligible boxers.
November 2023
Boxing NZ sends a team to the regional Olympic Qualifiers in the Solomon Islands. This is the smallest pool of talent on the pathway to Paris 2024, it has the least experienced athletes globally. All NZ Boxers sent in that team fail to qualify.
January 2024
We follow up with Boxing NZ on when the box-offs will be, given that no athletes qualified. We are informed that this information will be emailed out within 7 days. We do not hear from Boxing NZ again until February.
February 2024
We are informed that there will be no box-offs and the same athlete who failed to qualify in the Solomon Islands has been entered into the next world qualifier in Milan, Italy.
Xavier is invited to the Boxing NZ team international training camp in Bosnia and Italy. In order for him to be eligible for the final Olympic qualifier in Thailand in May/June he must attend this trip, despite not being given the opportunity to compete at the qualifiers.
Xavier attends the Bosnia/Milan trip. Has a great time during the camp and sparring international opponents but does not get to compete.
All athletes who were entered into the Milan world qualifiers fail to qualify for Paris 2024.
March 2024
Xavier returns from the Bosnia/Milan trip with the rest of the team, and within 7 days is told to compete in a trans-tasman competition at the ABA stadium. He puts 2x 8 counts on his opponent in the 1st round, clearly loses the 2nd round and leaves the 3rd round too close to call. He does not win this fight, but will get to fight the same opponent the next day.
Xavier’s opponent pulls out of the competition and he does not get to fight again.
We await confirmation of Xavier’s selection for the next (and final) world qualifier in Thailand; instead we are told that a box-off would occur for his division between himself and the NZ Boxer who had already failed to qualify twice.
April 2024
No box-off is called.
We receive an email from Boxing NZ excluding Xavier from the Thailand qualifier, and once again selecting the boxer who had already failed to qualify. We queried why this boxer had been chosen again, and at the very least why there was no box-off. We were told that the other boxer was injured and unable to compete at a box-off.
Boxing NZ invites Xavier to attend the next training camp (U.S.A) in preparation for Thailand, despite him not being allowed to compete. Xavier declines the invitation. Boxing NZ athletes do not attend the U.S.A camp.
May - June 2024
The final world qualifiers for Paris 2024 are held in Thailand. NZ sends 5 boxers. Some of whom are on their 3rd qualifying opportunity, including the boxer in Xavier’s division. All boxers fail to qualify.
Boxing NZ selectors denied Xavier the opportunity to qualify for Paris 2024 - not once, not twice, but 3 times. Instead, for Xavier’s division, Boxing NZ sent the same boxer to all 3 Olympic qualifiers.
No NZ Boxers qualified for Paris 2024. As a result there will be no boxing team on Team NZ for this year’s Olympic games.
In Closing
We want to thank everyone who continues to support Xavier’s career. Everyone who has donated, called, attended his fights, prayed for him, and uplifted him through relationships and opportunity.
As a combat sports family, who have the unique opportunity of seeing the inner workings of multiple codes from an administrative, official and athlete perspective, we hope that the Boxing NZ athlete selection process is extensively reviewed, with full transparency.
We hope that in this process the voices of the athletes, and the families and communities that support them are heard, and centred in the decision-making process.
In the interest of complete transparency, we also encourage that a metric of radical accountability is embedded into the selection process, whereby the decision-makers are accessible to the Boxing community they serve and can stand behind the decisions they make while seated at the same table with that community.
Xavier extends his gratitude to his fellow athletes and the Boxing NZ coaching team; we wish Boxing NZ athletes and officials all the best.
Xavier is currently in Brisbane, QLD. He continues to train under Mark Wilson at Bethania Boxing while in Australia. He hopes to compete for NZ at the next Commonwealth Games and will explore options for his pro-career.
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National Competition Titles & Awards
NZ / AUS
4x NZ National Champion
3x Most Scientific Boxer
NZ Nationals
3x Golden Gloves Champion
NZ North Island Golden Gloves
3x Most Scientific Boxer
NZ North Island Golden Gloves
1x Boxer Of The Tournament
NZ North Island Golden Gloves 2022
3x Australian National Golden Gloves Champion -
International Competition
Commonwealth Games, Birmingham 2022
Xavier aged into the elite division of amateur Boxing, during COVID in 2020, and all international, national and local competition was shut down. In 2021 he was selected to represent NZ at the IBA Youth World Championships in Poland, but COVID restrictions and lock downs were still in effect, and his travel exemption request was denied by Sport NZ. The next opportunity for international competition came in 2022, where Xavier was one of the youngest boxers in the competition at 19yrs old. He cleared the preliminary rounds to reach the Quarter Finals, where he was defeated by seasoned International boxer, 27 year old Rohit Tokas of India.
Xavier finished the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in the Top 8 of his division. -
Facts & Highlights
2010 - 2024
Xavier has competed 73 times, from 2012 - 2023, with a current amateur record of 47 wins, 26 losses. An athlete that has never been concerned with keeping a flawless amateur record, Xavier’s record is reflective of his commitment to learning, he has never said no to a fight, and always went looking to compete against the top guys, moving between divisions to face tougher competition.
Due to his Boxing travel and training commitments, Xavier was homeschooled throughout high school.
Xavier trains and competes regularly between Australia and NZ, and at different times has defeated top QLD, NSW and SA state contenders. In NZ he has defeated the lead prospect in each division he aged into. Most recently this includes the Men’s Elite division, where he took out Jesse Hawken and Wendell Stanley on consecutive days at the 71kg Pacific Games trials in Auckland, August 19th & 20th, 2023.
Xavier has often been a sought after sparring partner for some of Australia’s top professionals, as well as having experience with pro and amateur boxers in the U.S.
Xavier is officially coached by Mark Wilson, at the famous Bethania Boxing Club in QLD, home to Jai Opetaia and Justis Huni.
Boxing Origin Story
Xavier started boxing at 8 years old, and was coached by Khuram & Kamran Nasir at Brisbane Boxing. He trained under the Nasir brothers for a fruitful 8 years before moving on to Coach Russell Finn at the QLD Boxing Academy.
Over this time he also spent many years under the tutelage of Lolo Heimuli, BLG - NZ, before finding a new home at Bethania Boxing with decorated Australian Coach, and International veteran of amateur boxing, Mark Wilson.
Xavier Jack Joshua Mata’afa-Ikinofo, entered the world prematurely at just 27.5 weeks gestation, and was immediately rushed from the birth suites, to the neonatal intensive care unit at National Women’s hospital, Auckland, NZ.
Statistically, he had all the socioeconomic risk factors stacked against him. There were challenges in our home that could have sent any kid off the rails. Despite this, Xavier was always in the boxing gym, out for a run, watching boxing on YouTube or shadowboxing somewhere.
Boxing has been a constant in his life, but as with all great loves, it’s dished out a fair share of heartbreak too.
The tough life lessons that happen for all of us over time, happen rapidly for high-level athletes who dedicate themselves to their sport, and I believe, even more so for a Boxer. Boxing has been judged many times, by reputable sporting bodies and analysts, as the toughest sport in the world.
Xavier, and by association, our whole family, are grateful to have been forever changed by this sport; and although he keeps a small social circle of friends, from all ages and backgrounds, you won’t have to look far to find someone who will testify to his unmatched integrity of character.
My son possesses an insightful world view, that often makes for explorative and at times confronting, conversations around the dinner table. It’s been a privilege to keep him safe, while I grew up just one step ahead of him.
I’m sure that one day, Xavier will tell his own story in his own words, respectfully I can only share so much. For now he moves quietly, and continues to be as dedicated to his craft as he has always been.
Xavier is a formidable opponent, with a resume backed by years of evidence of his unwavering dedication.
With Gratitude & Best Wishes,
Xavier’s Mum.
P.S
If you have any questions please reach out to me over on Instagram @lightershadeofbrowngirl .
