Murupara-born boxer Dane Edge will look to continue his giant-killing run when he steps into the BX-9 Welterweight Championship Tournament semi-finals in Auckland later this month.

The Bay of Plenty-raised fighter faces Papua New Guinea Olympian John Ume at Eventfinda Stadium on July 31, with a place in the tournament final on the line.

Edge, who now fights out of Christchurch under trainer Wayne Vaega, has built a reputation as one of New Zealand boxing’s most dangerous underdogs.

Despite holding a professional record of three wins and three losses, all three of Edge’s defeats have come in title fights, while two of his victories were significant upsets.

The former kickboxer, who has also competed in Muay Thai and mixed martial arts, earned his place in the tournament after a series of standout performances in the BX-9 promotion.

His breakthrough came in June 2025 when he defeated more experienced fighter Hunter Ioane by unanimous decision, impressing both fans and promoter Oz Jabur.

That victory helped Edge secure a spot in the BX-9 Welterweight Championship Tournament, which offers the winner a $14,000 prize purse and a major international title opportunity.

Murupara-born boxer Dane Edge will face Papua New Guinea Olympian John Ume in the BX-9 Welterweight Championship Tournament semi-finals in Auckland on July 31.

In the quarter-finals this year, Edge produced one of the tournament’s biggest surprises, defeating previously unbeaten Leon Budgen by unanimous decision.

Budgen had entered the competition as one of the favourites after gaining attention for his victory over former UFC fighter Shane Young. However, Edge dominated the bout and advanced to the semi-finals.

Now he faces his toughest challenge yet against Ume, regarded as one of Oceania’s most promising boxing prospects.

Ume has enjoyed success across Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand and advanced to the semi-finals after pipping Australian Alex Lual by split decision in May.

The winner of the Edge-Ume clash will move one step closer to tournament glory, while the other semi-final features Australia’s Riley Allen against Napier’s Paul Tonga.

The Auckland card will also feature several title fights, including Coromandel’s Francis Waitai defending his WBA Oceania super middleweight title, Auckland’s Emma Nesbitt competing in a WBA world title eliminator, and Waikato’s Saskia Elliott challenging for the WBA Oceania super bantamweight title.

For Edge, the July 31 bout represents another opportunity to upset the odds and put his name among New Zealand boxing’s rising contenders.

Benjamin Watt is a retired boxing judge and New Zealand boxing writer with a decade of experience. Watt has also been BoxRec’s New Zealand record-keeper since 2014.