The national championships this year have been split and only the open championships will take place in Auckland this week. The junior and youth championships will be held in Hamilton in December.
Four fighters from Fight Science ABC (Queenstown) and four fighters from the Otago Boxing Academy (Dunedin) are heading to the championships.
But the four fighters from the academy, which is based at the New Zealand Fight and Fitness Academy, will be affiliated with the Manawatu association.
The boxers are Bridget Sefton (light heavyweight), Matt Crawford (featherweight), Cameron Yung (lightweight) and Cherine Henry (featherweight).
Otago Boxing Academy trainer Ryan Henry said he had some brief discussions with Otago Boxing Association president Bryan Usher but at this stage had decided to go with Manawatu.
Henry, who trains with Eldon Clifton, said three of their fighters last year were wanting to go to the national championships but were not picked by the Otago selectors.
He said no explanation was given why they were not picked, despite all three having strong credentials.
Henry got in touch with the Manawatu association, which selected the trio. One of the boxers, Bridget Morton, ended up winning a title, although it was uncontested, while Crawford and Henry picked up silvers.
Henry said it was disappointing for the fighters not to be able to represent Otago and he hoped a solution would be found.
Usher, who is in Bulgaria with a New Zealand junior team, said it was up to Henry and Clifton if they wanted to come back to Otago.
He wanted them to come back. A situation in which Otago boxers were not representing Otago was extremely disappointing.
''The fact there are some local guys representing Manawatu this month is a sad situation for everyone,'' Usher said.
Henry said Yung had a chance to make an impression in Auckland but much had to do with the draw, which would take place this morning.
Four fighters from the Fight Science ABC gym in Queenstown will be representing Otago at the championships. Elizabeth Regan (light welterweight), Sam Connely (light heavyweight), Mike Smith (welterweight) and Martin Mech (middleweight) will line up for Otago.
This will be Mech's third time at the national championships and he is in with a chance.
The Queenstown fighters are trained by Stewart Mitchell.
Mitchell said with support from local businesses the fighters had been able to travel and had been fighting for the past few months. That was building up their endurance for the fights this week.
The championships start today and the finals are on Friday night.
