HE has a hat-trick of state boxing titles safe in his keeping and now Jake May is taking aim at New Zealand.

The 16-year-old from Bendigo, who won a silver medal at the national amateur championships in Perth during March, will contest the Boxing New Zealand Golden Gloves Championships on June 2 and 3.

His coach, long-time Bendigo boxing trainer and promoter Frank Pianto, insists May is not crossing the Tasman for the experience – he is going with the intention of winning.

“We are not going to stuff around, we’ve got our eyes on medals,” Pianto said.

“Jake just fell a little bit short against at the Aussie titles – a split decision – he lost to a lad with a lot more boxing under his belt.

“He’s got silver at the last two nationals, but the boys he’s been beaten by have both been previous national champions.

“The last kid he fought had 50 (previous) fights.

“But we’ve made some adjustments and he’s getting the right sparring; he’s going to win an Australian title, no doubt, it’s just a matter of when.”

Pianto said May had been “training the house down”, sparring three-times a week with fellow Bendigo boxer Danny Taggart, a former Victorian Amateur Boxing League titles in the 60kg class.

He has also stepped into the ring with Tyler Harrington, who will represent Australia in the 49kg division at the Oceania Youth Championships in Samoa later this year.

May will step up to 50kg class, after winning all three of his state titles in the 48kg division.

“We’ve been all over the place in the last month to get him some sparring - we’ve been to Brisbane, we’ve been to Sydney and we’ve been to Melbourne,” Pianto said.

“It’s been a good, solid preparation.

“We are going to the New Zealand with the intentions of fighting the best in the country.

“We’ll have a red-hot crack.”