Coombs claims vacant title

PATRICK HAMILTON/Nelson Mail

HIGH POINT: Sam Coombs, left, lands a kick to the ribs of Christchurch's Ashley Budd.

Nelson's Sam Coombs has secured the vacant South Island light heavyweight Muay Thai kickboxing title after a split decision over Christchurch's Ashley Budd on Saturday.

Coombs, who fights for Isaac Takarangi's Tu-Moana Nelson club, beat Budd (Scorpions Gym) in the feature bout of Saturday's Night of Wrecking 4 at Nelson's Trafalgar Centre.

It was one of 13 bouts on the night's card, with 18-year-old Coombs, still in his final year at Waimea College, and clubmate Nik Gray now set to depart with the New Zealand team for the world Muay Thai kickboxing championships in Bangkok later this month. Takarangi will also travel as the New Zealand team's assistant manager.

The team heads to the championships on November 25 and returns on December 10.

Coombs emerged from Saturday's gruelling five-round fight a little sore but satisfied with the decision against his more experienced opponent.

"It was a very tough fight," Coombs said.

"It was quite evenly matched. I kept composed throughout the whole thing and just picked my shots. It was a tough fight though.

"I just kept rocking him with a straight right ... and kept moving around, and he wasn't landing the hits as much."

It was Coombs' first match up against the Cantabrian who was required to lose several kilograms to make weight for the title bout.

Coombs said he had no concerns during the fight.

"I was pretty confident ... because I'm quite fit. When I saw him, I thought he's a bit bigger than me because he had to lose quite a few more kilograms than me.

"[He hit me with] a few good leg kicks but that happens with every fight."

It was the fifth fight of Coombs' career and his fourth win since first entering the ring as a 16-year-old.

However, he'll be taking an enforced break from the sport next year when he attends Otago University to study health science.

"I'm not going to have the time to train for the first year because of my course but after that I'll be straight back into it."

Coombs was one of eight local fighters on show, with Shane Godsiff (90kg), Leon Tangaroa (62kg) and Mike Graham (86kg) also winning their respective bouts.

Godsiff won a split decision over Dunedin's Jeremy Bowker, Tangaroa beat Christchurch's Jason Savage with a second round TKO and Graham earned a tight split decision over Christchurch's Lee Paahi.

Meanwhile, Byron Hull (82kg) lost to Wellington's Sam Newble by TKO, Jahda Smith (79kg) lost on points to Christchurch's Ryan Camby, Simon Capermerhurst (72kg) lost a split decision to Christchurch's Johnny Steer and Josh Kilkelly (76kg) lost a unanimous points decision to Wellington's Tom Shepard in a full Muay Thai rules bout.