Singer mixes up New Zealand anthem before boxing world title fight

A singer appeared to have the lyrics of the New Zealand national anthem written on her hand before botching one of the lyrics ahead of a world title boxing fight yesterday.

Tessa King performed the New Zealand anthem before the WBO cruiserweight title fight between holder Lawrence Okolie and Kiwi David Light in front of 21,000 fans in Manchester.

King said she was asked to sing the anthem just hours before the fight and had never heard the New Zealand anthem before.

Early into her rendition, she looked down at her hand for guidance and then got the penultimate line wrong, singing ‘Hear her praises from afar’ instead of ‘Make her praises heard afar’.

She did not attempt to sing the Maori verse.

King posted on Instagram saying the invite came at late notice.

“Anyone normal would have turned this job down but it is I! I had the best time”.