Tournament director Stewart Mitchell rather hopes Queenstown will become a permanent home for the New Zealand championships.
The resort is hosting the championships for the first time in the event's 112-year history and the field of 158 is just shy of the record number of 163.
''Queenstown is not traditionally a boxing town and I'm trying to change that,'' Mitchell said.
''This is a statement of intent by holding this here for the first time. This is the start not the end of what we are trying to build.
''To get the number of entries we've got is just fantastic. It is a really good turnout. They don't get that most of the time in Auckland where most of the boxers are based, so it is pretty impressive.''
The tournament gets under way with preliminary bouts today. The semifinals will be held tomorrow with the finals on Friday and Saturday night.
Mitchell hopes the tournament will break even financially but believes the key to future success will be putting on a show the fighters can appreciate to keep them coming back.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist David Nyika (light heavyweight) is the highest-profile fighter at the tournament but Mitchell believes the men's light welterweight (64kg) shapes as one of the most competitive divisions.
''[Richard Hadlow] is very fit, strong and is heavy-handed. He has been knocking his opponents out. He's won a couple of titles this year and he is my pick to be a real dark horse for the tournament. He could really upset the apple cart.
''He has to get past Leroy Hindley, though. He is the man to beat. He got through to the Commonwealth Games quarterfinals at 64kg.''
Oamaru's Zac Korkou is another strong contender.
''He is very, very heavy-handed. It is going to be a real exciting division that one. It is my pick of the divisions.''
With Canterbury's Bowan Morgan turning professional this year, the welterweight division is suddenly open. He has had a mortgage on the title for the past four years.
Josh Nyika is just as tricky as his brother, David, and is expected to one of the leading contenders. Sheldon Whalley is an experienced fighter and Otago's Mike Smith has been well-prepared.
Two Otago fighters - Matt Crawford and Bridgette Sefton - won titles boxing under the Manawatu banner last year and will return to defend their titles.
Crawford won the featherweight title and Sefton the light heavyweight title. They are both in good condition having recently returned from Australia with Golden Glove titles. Sefton's toughest opponent shapes as Hamilton's Caroline Daniels.
In the 91kg-plus super heavyweight division, Commonwealth Games representative Patrick Mailata will look to defend his title. He has won it for the past two years, while three-time New Zealand champion David Light is back to defend his heavyweight title.
New Zealand boxing great David Tua will be a guest of honour.
