Dream debut for student fighter

Kickboxing

Fighters from Fortitude Thaiboxing in Masterton came away outright winners after shutting down their opponents in Wanganui at the weekend.

Wairarapa College student Jade Williams, 15, weighing in at 58kg, successfully completed his first competitive outing at the River City Rumble on Saturday in a non-contest bout against Ethan Matthews.

Fortitude head coach Bryce Baron said Williams had started cautiously and, after finding his range, moved well and showed an array of "awesome" combinations, rounded out with a robust guard.

He said Williams forced a standing eight count on his opponent in the second round, had "fought very well" and displayed good skills and determination.

"Jade did the hard yards at training and it really paid off for him. He listened to his corner really well and stuck to the plan on the night. We're hoping to get a second fight for him shortly and get him back in the ring as soon as we can," Baron said.

Fellow Fortitude fighter Zane Hopman, at 91.2kg, took his fight record to seven from seven after he demolished opponent Kazuki Campbell in a brutal heavyweight clash, knocking him out 40 seconds into the first round.

Hopman, who stepped up a weight class, threw a barrage of "devastating" rib kicks and knees at the opening of the round before punishing Campbell with a lunging knee.

He then took to Campbell, a past champion black belt Kyokushin karate fighter, with a furious hand combination and felled him with a withering left hook.

"Zane showed great character to work through injuries in the couple of weeks leading up to the fight and he just devastated the guy - demolished him," Baron said.

Hopman is now within reach of a World Muaythai Council New Zealand heavyweight title and will be working towards that over the coming months.

Pro Fortitude Kickboxing fighter Brendan Varty would next fight Edwin Sammy, NZ supermiddleweight pro champion, at the King of the Ring fight night in Auckland on April 13, Baron said.

Sammy, who fights out of the Elite Thai Kickboxing gym, has 50 pro bouts to his name and Varty, a past multiple amateur title-holder, will be fighting the veteran in a 73kg three-round non-title bout.