Israel Adesanya is introduced to the crowd during the round 1 fight between Israel Adesanya and Daniel Ammann at Super 8 Fight Night on November 22, 2014 in Auckland. Photo / AP.
Israel Adesanya is introduced to the crowd during the round 1 fight between Israel Adesanya and Daniel Ammann at Super 8 Fight Night on November 22, 2014 in Auckland. Photo / AP.
Redemption will be on the agenda at the next edition of Super 8 boxing as the cruiserweights will get another opportunity.
The next Super 8 fight night will take place at Horncastle Arena in Christchurch on Saturday, March 28 and four names who competed in the eight-man tournament in Novemberwill feature again.
Kiwis Israel Adesanya, Lance Bryant and Monty Filimaea, alongside Australian Daniel Ammann, have all been confirmed for the event where fighters will square off in quarter-finals over three three-minute rounds with a winner to be found on the night.
In November's tournament, Australia's Brad Pitt beat Samoan prospect Vaitele Soi in a tightly-contested final as he banked a $50,000 winner's cheque on the North Shore. The card will be run by Sky Arena and Christchurch promoter Justin Wallace. Canterbury light heavyweight Reece Papuni could feature in a stand-alone bout, while there will be at least one celebrity stoush.
Adesanya and Bryant were considered unlucky losers during the November tournament so it's only fitting they get another crack, while the rest of the eight-man card is likely be filled out by international fighters.
Adesanya, a top-level kickboxer, was edged in his first bout by Ammann, who went on to lose to Pitt in the semifinals in November. Bryant, a decorated amateur boxer, lost in a split decision to Soi in the opening round.
"The whole thing with the format is it's a sprint, not a marathon and everyone's got a puncher's chance and sometimes it just doesn't quite work out," Sky Arena's John McRae said.
"We want to see some of those guys get another swing at it, literally. I favour the cruiserweights as well, simply, they have the power of heavyweights but the athleticism of a smaller guy. They look the part and do the damage."
It's understood Pitt won't return to defend his crown as he is booked to meet a yet-to-be-determined opponent on a card in Melbourne on March 20.
In November, veteran heavyweight Kali Meehan sent Kiwi Shane Cameron in to retirement in the main event as Meehan continued his career renaissance and claimed the WBA's Pan African title.
McRae said they had a number of options as to how they would shape the rest of their fight card around the Super 8 tournament in Christchurch, although nothing was set in stone.
As for who we could expect to see in the celebrity bouts, McRae said nothing was confirmed yet.
"My lips are sealed until we finalise all the details."
