Sideline Sid Sports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

The first day of November brings not only Melbourne Cup day – but also a promise from Sidline Sid that he won't write about rugby again this year.

Like most of the country he is rugby-ed out after the joy and exhilaration of the Rugby World Cup.

How times have changed in the Race That Stops Two Nations. In years past, Kiwi bred and owned horses dominated proceedings in the two-mile race at Flemington racecourse. This year the 24-horse field is dominated by raiders from the Northern Hemisphere.

A six million dollar purse has brought a multitude of foreign invaders, with a further number of horses who initially raced in the Northern Hemisphere, but have been purchased by Aussie owners in pursuit of the big prize.

The paucity of the New Zealand influence on the 2011 Cup is shown by just three Kiwi bred horses with none trained in New Zealand.

Last week Sideline Sid made his annual pilgrimage to the Boxing New Zealand National Championships, which were held in the Town Hall in Lower Hutt.

You could almost smell the history and liniment, which abounded in the Town Hall, in some of the great professional contests in earlier decades.

In the 1950s and ‘60s there was no greater reward for the young aspiring boxers of the time than to earn a place in the amateur preliminary contests before the professional boxers provided the main event of the night.

Thousands would pack the Wellington, Auckland and Lower Hutt Town Halls, to see the likes of Barry Brown, Tuna Scanlan and later Manny and Joey Santos, strut their stuff in the ring.

The largest number of entries ever seen at the Nationals, since they first were held in 1902, reflects an explosion in numbers of registered amateur boxer numbers in the last couple of years.

From less than five hundred a few years ago to 800 plus this season, tells the tale of gyms that are overflowing with youngsters eager to enter the squared ring.

There are numerous reasons for the growth of the sport, however the high profile delivered by David Tua and Shane Cameron in recent years, has kept the sport in the headlines.

While they both now engage in bash for cash ranks, both have their roots in the amateur game.

Bronze Medals at the Olympics and World Championships attracted a multitude of interest from promoter's worldwide, before David put his signature on the dotted line of a professional contract.

A decade later in was the turn of Shane Cameron to take the spotlight in the amateur heavyweight class.

Shane became the first boxer over the middleweight limit, to win the Jameson Belt, when he annexed the heavyweight title at the 2001 New Zealand championships.

A Commonwealth Games Bronze Medal was one of the rewards of his short time in the amateur ranks.

Both David and Shane were in attendance ringside on Finals night. Without any hype and publicity, both boxers paid their own way (and expenses) to the 2011 Nationals to support the youngsters of today, in their quest to win National honours.

Both are excellent ambassadors and role models for the sport. Humble but extremely giving in time with autographs and photo opportunities – there were many happy young boxers, who went home with mementoes of meeting their two heroes on Saturday night.

Seeya at the Game