BKA finish 3rd in the “Last Man Standing” Quarterfinals

The Bougainville Kickboxing Association (BKA) proudly represented the New Guinea Islands (NGI) region and competed tenaciously at the recently concluded Kumite “Last Man Standing” Quarterfinals, finishing 3rd among ten-plus associations. 

The KBA fighters traveled across the Bismarck Sea to participate in the newly created Last Man Standing series, which was hosted on Sunday, June 28th, 2026, at Taurama Aquatic and Indoor Center in Port Moresby.  

More than 100 fighters converged at Port Moresby’s famous Taurama Aquatic and Indoor Center to compete for the top honors in their respective weight divisions, with the BKA fighters proving their worth in the ring and claiming 3 gold medals, 5 silvers, and the Fighter of the Tournament Award. 

The host city, the National Capital District, and Central Province, representing the Southern region, secured the top honors, the Highlands region came second, NGI settled for the third spot, and MoMaSe finished last.

The Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARoB) fighters recorded 3 victories and lost 5 fights. Despite the result, Bougainville’s pioneering kickboxer Ivan Gasi expressed satisfaction with the result.

“I am happy with the outcome. Though it has not gone the way we had expected, I’m glad that three of our fighters won and advanced to the semifinal, which is a bonus for the association,” coach Gasi said. 

The ARoB fighters’ mentor revealed that they had no proper training facilities, noting that the fighters utilized whatever resources available at their disposal and prepared themselves to compete in the national tournament.

Gasi thanked the former Bougainville Regional MP Fidelis Semoso, the North Bougainville incumbent MP, Francisca Semoso, and the ABG Speaker Simon Pentanu, for their support in assisting the team with airfares, accommodation, and food.  

He also thanked Bismil Trading Limited and Pristine 101 Limited for their assistance with food rations. He further acknowledged the minor sponsors and those who stood behind the team to carry ARoB’s flag in the nation’s capital.

In addition, Gasi revealed that he was one of the pioneering students of Stanley “The Headhunter” Nandex when the legendary kickboxer (Nandex) established the Papua New Guinea Kickboxing Federation (PNGKBF) in 1999.

He said Nandex mentored him in Port Moresby, explaining that after 17 years of honing and mastering his craft in the combat sport, he moved home and founded the Bougainville Kickboxing Association in 2009. 

After establishing the kickboxing association in Bougainville, Gasi began training local fighters and preparing them to participate in local and international events, including the PNG Games and Pacific Games, among others.

As the coach and president of the Bougainville Kickboxing Association, he mentioned that the national federation’s future goal is to establish clear pathways for local emerging kickboxers in Bougainville to further their careers and become professional fighters.

Coach Gasi highlighted that the three qualified fighters now look forward to representing Bougainville and the wider New Guinea Islands region in the upcoming Last Man Standing Semifinal event on 30 August 2026, in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province.