Chance kicks in for Calver

Leon Calver doesn't mind changing the script, especially if the rewrites mark him down as champion.

The Wanganui kickboxer will fight Palmerston North's Tyrone Campbell for the vacant Thai Boxing Association NZ super lightweight title in the main event of the River City Rumble on Saturday, March 16.

Calver was not the likely contender to try for the 61.25kg crown until he upended top Wellington contender Alexi Seripisos for the North Island super lightweight title last October in Wanganui.

The ink was all but dry on a November fight between Campbell and Seripisos, but Calver's points decision win, coupled with the Wellingtonian fracturing his foot, saw the home town boy earn his shot.

"[Seripisos] was the favourite to win the fight but as he lost and sustained an injury to his foot, he was unable to take the fight," said promoter Steve Alderton. "Leon was the underdog but I knew he would beat him."

Campbell has recently returned from a stint training in Thailand so Alderton is guaranteeing "a tough fight, as promised".

"I've seen Tyrone fight once. He's a slugger.

"He's a tough fighter - he can take the knocks as it were.

"Leon's a very balanced and well-rounded fighter, he's got a good arsenal. We'll probably take the underdog status again but we're happy with that."

The fight will be five 2-minute rounds using full Thai rules which allow punching, kicking, and knees and elbow strikes.

It will headline a big undercard of 17 scheduled bouts.

There will be two Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fights, three ring karate fights, and the rest will be Muay Thai match-ups.

Fighters from the wider Wanganui area will be involved in 15 of those contests.