Hopman aims to be TV smash

WARRIOR: Zane Hopman, world champion kickboxer, is training "harder and smarter" for his televised pro-am debut at the King in the Ring 8-Man Cruiserweight Eliminator in Auckland on August 30.

World champion kickboxer Zane "Hybrid" Hopman has set his sights on toppling some of the best cruiserweight fighters in New Zealand at his televised pro-am debut next month.

The past year has been huge for the Masterton fighter, after he achieved a 15-fight winning streak that captured a North Island and New Zealand cruiserweight title last year, a world championship heavyweight gold medal at the WMC IMFA World Championships in Malaysia in May, and the Wairarapa Times-Age Supreme Sports Award and Senior Sports Personality of the Year titles last month.

Hopman, 23, who fights out of Fortitude Thai Boxing Gym, put his New Zealand championship strap on the line in a televised bout against New Zealand WKBF cruiserweight titleholder Pati Afoa on June 20, as part of the King in the Ring 8-man Heavyweight Eliminator at the ASB Stadium in Auckland.

Hopman narrowly lost the double title fight after a split decision went against him, despite rallying from a standing eight-count in the second round and overwhelming and outclassing his semi-professional opponent Afoa, who fights out of Auckland's ETK Gym that promotes the King in the Ring series.

"I wasn't mentally in the right place. I started slow ... and that slow start cost me the fight."

Hopman was today in training for his pro-am debut on August 30 in Auckland at the King in the Ring 8-man Cruiserweight Eliminator, which will screen live on Sky Sport 3.

He could again clash with Afoa, who is also fighting alongside other elite Kiwi cruiserweights such as defending titleholder TY Williams, James Eades, Ranui Jonathan, Zak Fatamaka, and Slava Alexeichik.

New Zealand's only Glory series fighter to date, Israel Adesanya, will also vie for the championship and comes to the eliminator franchise with a fight record of 32 wins for two losses.

"Now I'm looking for some retribution. I'm going to perform to what I know is my best ability. I'm training smarter and really just honing it out - working on what I see as my faults," Hopman said.

The eliminator series will be fought under K-1 rules with each bout on the main event consisting of three three-minute rounds, with a fourth round possible in the event of a draw.

Hopman was confident: "If you don't aim for the No1 spot, you're never going to get there, so I'm training to win this thing."

He was also pursuing sponsors before the event and was grateful for the long-time sponsorship and support of Bevan and Rachel Mackenzie, who own Wai Weight Gym, a training centre for himself and world champion powerlifters Brett Gibbs and Joel Hintz.

Hopman had developed a proposal for prospective business and individual sponsors and also was selling his own Illicit-manufactured Team Hybrid fight shirts.

"I am open to any people, businesses or individuals, who want to help, and the Hybrid shirts are a way to link back to any supporters out there," he said.

"I have kids coming up to me outside Fortitude and people I don't know coming up to me in the street saying they support me and I just want to keep the community involved, you know, keep those ties strong."

For more information regarding sponsorship or as a prospective Team Hybrid supporter, call Fortitude Thai Boxing Gym at 027 209 6469.