Leroy Hindley could hardly have had a more convincing first-up showing in the Games boxing competition than in his bout against Abu Bakarr Katta of Sierra Leone.
Hindley, who boxed for New Zealand at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, won all three rounds on every scorecard in the 69kg contest and near the end the Sierra Leone boxer was in severe difficulties.
The other New Zealand boxer in action on the first day of competition was Richard Hadlow, whose first round 64kg opponent was Edrian Volcere of the Seychelles.
This was a tighter contest but the 30-year-old New Zealander was given the decision by four of the five judges, though two of them had just one point in it.
The fight was a toss-up going into the final round, but the more aggressive Hadlow showed good skills and stormed home, with Volcere in some trouble by the end.