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Entertainment | Boxing

Boxer’s last chance for Rio Olympic dream

Tyson Sykes left for Azerbaijan on Friday with one more opportunity to qualify for the Rio Olympics. The Te Arawa boxer is one of only five male boxers in the national team who have a final chance to be selected. Te Kāea spoke to Sykes earlier today via Skype about his preparations ahead of the qualifying tournament.

Although he is 15,620km away from home in Rotorua, he has kept his family in his thoughts as he prepares for the biggest tournament of his life.

"Thanks for all of their support they have been supporting me hard out and just thanks and I hope I make them proud," says Sykes.

In the video clips provided, you can see Tyson Sykes is in full training for his upcoming fights.

"You got to do what you got to do. We are just in a little hotel at the moment and that was the only space we had so we just made it work."

He will face some of the best-known fighters in the world of his weight division.

“The Stan (Pakistan is made up of four provinces) they are really good, they have a different kind of style of boxing but I think I will be fine.”

He will give it his all and won't take a step backwards.

"Dieting and train really hard and staying focused and I am just going to fight and leave everything in the ring and it should be enough to come away with the win."

He is the only Māori in the five-man NZ team.