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Home / New Zealand

Hybrid Hopman takes on Super 8

By Nathan Crombie nathan.crombie@age.co.nz
Wairarapa Times-Age·
30 Oct, 2015 08:36 PM4 mins to read

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Zane 'Hybrid' Hopman, launches into veteran Sydney fighter Simon Maait during a bout in April.PHOTO SUPPLIED

Zane 'Hybrid' Hopman, launches into veteran Sydney fighter Simon Maait during a bout in April.PHOTO SUPPLIED

PRO Masterton fighter Zane "Hybrid" Hopman has fixed himself on the Mahindra Super 8 Cruiserweight crown and will take on anybody standing in his way, he says.

Hopman, 24, a former IFMA world gold medallist and multiple New Zealand kickboxing title-holder fighting out of the Fortitude Thai Boxing Gym in Masterton, took his first professional boxing win in Australia in May and gets his shot at the New Zealand Super 8 title on Tuesday at SkyCity in Auckland.

Masterton pro boxer Zane 'Hybrid' Hopman is set on taking out the Mahindra Super 8 Cruiserweight title on Tuesday night. PHOTO SUPPLIED
Masterton pro boxer Zane 'Hybrid' Hopman is set on taking out the Mahindra Super 8 Cruiserweight title on Tuesday night. PHOTO SUPPLIED

Other fighters on the Super 8 eliminator card -- consisting of two three-round bouts for each boxer -- include reigning champion Israel Adesanya, 25, Pahiatua shepherd and five-time amateur national champion Lance Bryant, 34, and Kaeo-born former Queensland champion Jamie Porter, 33.

Title fights on the undercard include Monty Beetham versus James Langton for the NZNBF Cruiserweight title and Hemi Ahio versus Alapati A'asa for the NZNBF Heavyweight title.

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The eliminator tournament will be on Sky Sport 1 and will be the third major contest for Bryant, who is being coached by Masterton trainer John Kamo, since his return to the ring last year after retiring in 2006.

Hopman, who also recorded a close transtasman loss against veteran Nigerian boxer Patrick Eneanya in August, believes he has the measure of Porter, against whom he narrowly lost on points after dominating for most of a six round bout in Queensland late last year; and Bryant, who was his sparring partner earlier this year in the lead-up for him to the Australasian Cruiserweight King in the Ring bout in April.

"I have different reasons to fight each of the boxers on the card although it would be good to get a rematch against Porter for sure. But I'll fight whoever they put in front of me."

Hopman had been under Kamo before his change of camp but was today training under fellow Fortitude fighter Rhys Richards and head Fortitude coach Bryce Baron. He was grateful for the support and loyalty of his sponsors and community, he said.

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Hopman had also been training at the Heretaunga Boxing Club under Grant Scaife, sparring national title holder Ryan Scaife and former King in the Ring kickboxing champion Ty Williams.

"I've been building up to this for the past eight weeks. It's actually the first time I've had the luxury of time. All three of my previous boxing matches have been taken on two week's notice and in between Thai fights.

"I have my own tools and tricks and I know where my advantages are and where I work well. I'm not going to be beaten on fitness, I have youth on my side against the likes of Bryant and Porter and I have a good mental state."

Hopman said he has "no care about what people say ahead of the fight" and had brushed off smack talk and insults from Adesanya.

Injury had forced Hopman out of finals contention against the ex-pat Nigerian in a King in the Ring eliminator in April, and a bout was canned in August after being offered only a fortnight before Hopman left for the 2015 IMFA World Championships in Thailand.

"He's just playing on that and trying to build up a bit of hype I suppose, baiting, and trying to get under people's skin. Half his thing is trying to get into your head and that could be why he's a bit worried, because I don't get involved in that sort of thing.

"Playing around like that doesn't mean anything to me. As long as my daughter is healthy and the people I care about are happy -- those are the things that really matter to me.

"He beats a lot of people before he even gets in the ring with them by getting on their nerves, you know. They give in to his game plan ... that really has no effect on me.

"If I didn't want to fight him, I wouldn't be putting up my hand now. He seems to forget he won't be the only dangerous fighter stepping in to the ring on the night."

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