Kickboxing: Marsters returns to fight

Joel Marsters Photo/File

Rotorua's Joel Marsters says he definitely won't be singing the Australian national anthem when he represents the country at the King in the Ring kickboxing event in Auckland.

Marsters is one of eight heavyweight kickboxers who will climb into the ring at Auckland's ASB Stadium next weekend, during the King in the Ring eight-man eliminator event.

The televised fight night is being promoted as an Australian versus New Zealand match-up with four fighters from each country competing.

"They approached me and asked if I wanted to fight but there was one catch, I had to fight for the Australian team," Marsters, 25, said.

The Rotorua-born-and-bred fighter accepted but said there was no way he was singing the Aussie national anthem come fight night. Marsters moved to Melbourne in May of this year to focus on his kickboxing, which has made him eligible for the Aussie team. "The funny thing is I'm probably the most New Zealander fellah in that competition," he said with a laugh. "I'm think I'm the only Maori-speaking fighter in the tourney."

The eight-man eliminator event next Saturday is reserved for heavyweights (under 100kg) and sees the winner from each fight move on to the next round until there is only one fighter left standing on the night.

"It is a tournament so I could potentially have three fights in the one night, which I have never done before," he said. "I want to win the belt. Anything can happen on the night and, with a bit of luck with the draw, I think I have a good chance."

Marsters is currently training five days a week while working night shifts and is quickly getting into top shape under new trainer James Roesler.

While Marsters has fought plenty of times in the past and won belts back home in New Zealand, he said he was viewing this upcoming tournament in Auckland as only his second professional fight.

Marsters recently stopped an Australian fighter in the first round during a fight night in Melbourne, which helped him get a call up for the King in the Ring event in Auckland.

Another Rotorua fighter, Israel Adesanya, is also taking part in the King in the Ring event and is one of the favourites.

"I used to go to school with him and I looked up to him as a fighter," Marsters said. Marsters, who worked as a carver back home in Rotorua, said he took a giant leap moving to Aussie with his partner, Toni Austin, but was stoked to be following his dream of becoming a world champion.

"If I can inspire just one person back home to live their dream rather than be complacent - I'd say just give it a go. That was the advice people in my life gave to me."

- The King in the Ring eight-man eliminator event on October 31 will be aired live on Sky Sports.