Leslie Rackley

Les Rackley, middleweight boxing bronze medallist at the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games, was a member of New Zealand boxing royalty.

Rackley, born in 1955, was from a noted sports family. His father, Les Snr, was a leading New Zealand boxing trainer for several decades, and brothers Jeff, Perry and Dean all boxed for New Zealand at Olympic or Commonwealth Games. What’s more, their sisters, Margaret and Tish, were national volleyball representatives.

Les was educated at Victory School, Nelson Intermediate School, and Nelson College from 1968-72, and was a member of the college first XV and the first XI cricket team.

Trained by his father, Rackley won New Zealand junior titles in 1969 and 1970. In 1971 he won the national intermediate welterweight title, and from 1972-75, he was the New Zealand middleweight champion.

The impact the Rackley family had on New Zealand was never better emphasised than at the 1972 national champs in their home town of Nelson.

Olympian Jeff Rackley led the way, claiming the welterweight title and the Jamieson Belt, for the most scientific boxer of the championships, for the second year in succession, and the third time in all. Les stepped up from the intermediate welterweight division to win the middleweight crown and Dean was successful in his bids for two intermediate championships, in the welterweight and light-middleweight. Dean was also awarded the Phil Green Cup for the most scientific intermediate. The Rackley boys' proud father and trainer was awarded the Joe Thwaites Memorial Trophy for the trainer of the most scientific boxer.

Les Rackley found his best form at Christchurch in 1974.

After receiving a bye in the first round, he ran into Ugandan Mustapher Wasajja. He made a mockery of suggestions he was in for a tough battle, knocking out the Ugandan in the first round.

Next up for Rackley was Zambian Julius Luipa in the semi-finals. They had a gruelling bout, with Luipa proving very slick, but Rackley held on well. In the end, Luipa earned the points decision, which left Rackley with a bronze medal. Luipa was knocked out by Frankie Lucas of St Vincent, the most popular boxer at the Games, in the gold medal bout.

Rackley was an effective rugby player, a No 8 who represented Nelson Bays from 1974-77. While he was in England doing his OE, he joined the Harlequins club. His coach was former All Black Earle Kirton and the team first-five was future World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward. Rackley was also a good enough cricketer to play Hawke Cup cricket for the strong Nelson team.

After he finished boxing in 1975, Rackley embarked on what turned out to be a particularly varied career. He was a commercial diver for a time, then did a four-year building apprenticeship. After that he lived in Fiji for a time working for Fletcher Building.

When he finished in the building trade he was employed by Fruitfed, a horticulture supply company. He stayed with the company for 21 years, progressing into management roles.

In 2004, Les contracted transverse myelitis, an inflammation of part of the spinal cord. Within a week he’d regressed from normal activity to not being able to work. It required five weeks in hospital, followed by months of rehab before he was close to his old self again.