Australian heavyweight boxing champions Hunter Sam and Kali Meehan are among eight heavyweights scheduled to compete at the debut Super 8 boxing event in Auckland. With a $500,000 prize pool on offer, the pair will join the likes of former heavyweight world champion Hasim Rahman (50-8-2dr) in an eight-man, one-night tournament at Auckland’s Trusts Arena on June 4.
A live stream of the event will be available on the night at our LIVE FIGHTS page where you can also right now find further viewing details. Alternatively, you can click through the above poster.
Flying the hometown flag on the night—besides Meehan who is Auckland born—the event will feature New Zealand boxer, kickboxer and mixed martial artist Anthony Nansen (3-2), and Las Vegas based Kiwi Brice Ritani-Coe (3-2). The tournament lineup also includes american Alonzo Butler (30-2-1dr), Ireland’s Martin Rogan (16-5) and controversial Englishman Michael Sprott (40-21).
With six fights behind him in 2013, 29 year-old Hunter Sam (10-2-2dr) has kept busy of late and will be taking a four-fight win streak into the tournament as he looks to build on his dominant performance against Jarad Treloar, who he outpointed over 10 rounds in his last encounter in May of this year.
No doubt many fight fans thought Meehan’s last fight against Travis Walker could have marked the end of the 41 year-old’s career after his corner was forced to throw in the towel in the sixth round. The 2012 loss snapped a three-fight win streak for Meehan (38-5), who will now look to bounce back and earn some serious cash in the process. Should the two meet for the second time in their careers, no doubt the former champion will also be eager to avenge his RTD loss to Hasim Rahman which he suffered back in 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Sam and Meehan will square off in the elimination round as a result of a random draw.
Heavyweight Tournament:
- Hunter Sam
- Kali Meehan
- Hasim Rahman
- Anthony Nansen
- Brice Ritani-Coe
- Alonzo Butler
- Martin Rogan
- Michael Sprott
Fight Card:
- SUPER 8 Final
- Sam Rapira vs Taito Ratuere
- Semi Final 2
- Semi Final 1
- Joey Blackbourn vs Dimitri Simoukov
- Hemi Ahio vs William Quarrie
- Elimination Fight 4: Michael Sprott Martin Rogan
- Elimination Fight 3: Kali Meehan vs Hunter Sam
- Elimination Fight 2: Alonzo Butler vs Brice Ritani Coe
- Elimination Fight 1: Hasim Rahman vs Antz Nansen
- Reserve Fight
* Tournament fights will be contested over three, three minute rounds.
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