Hopman smashes his way to title shot

Kickboxing

A devastating knockout victory for Masterton kickboxer Zane Hopman on Saturday has cleared his way to a North Island title shot this month.

Hopman, fighting out of the Fortitude Thai Boxing Gymnasium, knocked out Eddie Rangihuna from Mana Muaythai with a cleanly executed step-up knee to the face only a minute in to the first round of their 92kg bout at the Elimination Fight Night at Te Rauparaha Arena at Porirua on Saturday.

The knockout came after Hopman had already delivered a withering combination of kicks and punches.

The victory, his eighth straight win, gives him a shot at the World Muaythai Council New Zealand North Island title in Auckland.

Fellow Fortitude fighter Jade Williams, 16, also came away a winner from the Elimination Fight Night after outclassing his opponent Francis Wiremu in a 57kg bout.

Williams' coach Bryce Baron - who also tutors Hopman - said his charge had struggled at first but quickly found his rhythm and went on to put three standing eight counts on Wiremu before taking the bout on a unanimous points decision.

Baron praised the heart shown by Wiremu but said Williams had overwhelmed him with superior fighting skills and fitness.

Fighters from the Fortitude gym have now won nine times in a row, a testimony to the quality of their coaches, training regimes and fight philosophies.

Professional Fortitude fighter Brendan Varty, who alongside Baron and boxing coach John Kamo helps coach amateur fighters from the Masterton gym, will contest a South Pacific title fight in Brisbane on August 31.