Hawke's Bay's former All Black rugby winger Zac Guildford will have the necessary fitness and conditioning for his charity boxing bout in December.
"From a conditioning and fitness point of view I don't think he will struggle," Magpies fitness trainer Grant Dearns said yesterday when he heard Guildford was takingon Bachelor NZ star Art Green at the Fight for Life charity event in Hamilton on December 5.
"Zac's fight is scheduled for three two-minute rounds, not eight rounds. The winner will be who punches the hardest, not who lasts the longest," Dearns said.
According to reports, Green was initially "pretty scared" about the bout.
"I don't know Zac. We haven't met, but I think it will be pretty scary going up against him in the ring," Green said.
"He's an athlete, you know, and he's tough and fit, and I suspect he'll be a natural when it comes to boxing. He's probably had some practice. A lot of those rugby stars are good boxers."
Former Kiwi and Warriors rugby league player Monty Betham, who is still a regular boxer, convinced Green he would be a good match for Guildford. Betham will train Green.
"Having that behind me gave me a bit of confidence," Green said.
Fight for Life director David Higgins called Green's decision to box Guildford "brave".
"It takes courage to get in the ring and shows he is not just a pretty face," Higgins said.
He described Guildford as a "young career-professional athlete in his prime, with a lot of mongrel. Some participants want to pick and choose who their opponent is before they get in the ring. Not Art. He's taking on the guy we put in front of him," he said.
Guildford is in the middle of a four-game ITM Cup suspension for a dangerous tackle and will be available for the Magpies when they take on Wellington in the capital on September 30.
