Kickboxer turned Boxer Dane Edge (Ngāti Maniapoto) will fight in the BX-9 Welterweight Championship Tournament on July 31st in Auckland against Olympian John Ume.
Dane Edge who was born in Murupara and grew up in Te Puke, is a highly experienced combat sports fighter that fought across Muay Thai, Kickboxing, MMA and Professional boxing. He fights out of South Island Lee Garr under the legendary trainer Wayne Vaega.
Edge began his professional boxing career back in 2023 where he defeated highly experienced amateur boxer Rendz Remaneses. From there, Edge only took on high risk fights in New Zealand and Australia where he was always put in the position of the underdog.
He has the record of three wins and three losses. Even though he has a 50/50 record, his two other wins were major upsets and his three losses were all title fights.
He was first introduced into the BX-9 promotion back in June 2025, where he took on Hunter Ioane, who is someone that had 21 fights to his name, where at the time Edge only had two professional fights.
Edge won the fight by unanimous decision, impressing the crowd and the promoter of BX-9 Oz Jabur.
Edge earned his opportunity to take part in the BX-9 Welterweight Championship Tournament with the winner getting $14000 and a major international title.
In the Quarter Finals back in May this year, Edge took on undefeated Leon Budgen, who was one of the favourites to win the tournament. Budgen got his claim to fame for beating UFC Legend Shane Young.
After the fight against Young, Budgen called out Edge. It was meant to be as the random draw put the two together for the tournament in the Quarter Finals.
Edge coming in as the underdog again, shocked the boxing community and won almost every round against Budgen, winning by unanimous decision.
Edge will now have a tough task ahead of him as he will again be the underdog in the Semi-Finals where he takes on Olympian John Ume from Papua New Guinea.
John Ume has had a lot of success in his professional boxing career, winning fights across Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. He is now being watched very closely as is Oceania’s hottest prospect in professional boxing.
Ume fought in the quarter finals on May 2nd against Australian Alex Lual, which would arguably be the hardest fight to get in the random draw. Already the fight was a 50/50 fight with Ume amateur background and momentum he has had, and Lual professional boxing experience.
Ume won that fight by a close split decision, sending him into the semi finals.
On the other side of the tournament, Australian Riley Allen takes on Napier’s Paul Tonga.
Apart from the tournament, the three main event fights including Coromandel’s Francis Waitai defending his WBA Oceania Super Middleweight title against South African born Auckland resident Cowin Ray, Auckland’s Emma Nesbitt fights in a WBA World title eliminator against Japan’s Madoka Wada, and Waikato’s Saskia Elliott will fight for the WBA Oceania Super Bantamweight title against Australia’s Leah Reuben.
Dane Edge vs John Ume is live at Eventfinda Stadium in Auckland on July 31st. The event will be broadcast live on PPV with CSN.WATCH
Current confirmed card
10×3 min rounds
WBA Oceania Super Middleweight title
Francis Waitai (Waikato) vs (South Africa/Auckland) Cowin Ray
10×2 min rounds
WBA Gold Atomweight title & WBA world title eliminator
Emma Nesbitt (New Zealand) vs (Japan) Madoka Wada
10×2 min rounds
WBA Oceania Super Bantamweight title
Saskia Elliott (Waikato) vs (Australian) Leah Reuben
BX-9 Welterweight Championship – Semi Finals
8×3 min rounds
Dane Edge (Christchurch) vs (Papua New Guinea) John Ume
Riley Allen (Australia) vs (Napier) Paul Tonga
Cruiserweight 5×3 min rounds
Keanu Naden (Niue/New Zealand) vs (Australia) Adrian Paoletti
Flyweight
6×2 min rounds
Mia Evans (Auckland) vs (Masterton) Sarah Linton
Heavyweight
5×3 min rounds
Jordan Collins (Wellington) vs (Auckland) Amato Mataika
Super Middleweight
4×3 min rounds
Tawhiri Toheriri Hallett (New Zealand) vs (Papua New Guinea) Warren Warupi
Cruiserweight
4×3 min rounds
Filimaea Filimaea (Auckland) vs (Wanganui) Sale Oldehaver
Hyper Combat
Heavyweight
5×2 min rounds
Dhcamad Armstrong vs Niwa Barlow
Semi-Pro Boxing
Light Heavyweight
3×3 min rounds
Charl Ackerman vs Purcell Placid
Amateur Boxing
Jaspaa Stowers (Australia) vs (Auckland) Noah Collier
Harlan Tai (Auckland) vs (Auckland) Marley Dasey
Luca Mamic (Auckland) vs (Whangārei) Lucas Potter
