Boxing: Ahio receives high praise

Hemi Ahio throws a punch in last year's Super 8 bout against William Quarrie. Photo / Getty

If Hemi Ahio can come close to living up to the lofty comparisons bestowed upon him, he will be something special.

The Kiwi boxing prospect is short by modern heavyweight standards at 1.83m, weighs a shade over 100kg and has lightning-quick hands with devastating knockout power; you can see where this is going.

"He reminds me of Mike Tyson when he was younger, he's a great prospect," Kiwi UFC heavyweight competitor Mark Hunt said.

Hunt, a 41-year-old veteran of combat sports, has taken Ahio on as one of his preferred sparring partners and can attest to the power in the South Aucklander's fists.

"He hits really hard and I've been hit with a lot of big punches," Hunt said. "I rate Hemi; he's a good fighter."

Kiwi kickboxer Israel Adesanya, who will compete in tonight's cruiserweight Super 8 boxing tournament in Christchurch, has worked with Ahio and also likened him to Tyson.

"I will tell you one thing: Just from the way he moves, this guy, he's the next coming of New Zealand boxing," Adesanya said. "He looks and fights like Tyson."

Of course, the 1.78m Tyson holds his own as one of the most exciting boxers to ever lace up a glove and he won a piece of the world heavyweight title in 1986 at only 20; a record that is unlikely to be broken.

The comparisons don't run terribly deep, despite people referring to Ahio as the 'Tongan Tyson' - his official ring name is 'The Heat'.

Tyson had a storied amateur career alongside his turbulent upbringing, while the 24-year-old Ahio only started training two years ago after playing rugby and league in his teenage years.

Ahio (4-0) isn't a fan of the Tyson comparisons - maybe they put too much pressure on a young fighter - and said he would rather carve his own path.

"I've got high hopes for me. I'm thinking, I'm hoping. All I'm trying to do is get to the top and be the best at this sport with what I'm doing to get there," he said. "I've just got to try hard and do everything right."

Rather than Tyson, Ahio's idol when he was younger was another big-punching heavyweight and this one lived closer to home.

"I always enjoyed watching David Tua," Ahio said. "He's one of the only guys that I know that did boxing and every time I did get to watch boxing, it was him."

Given Ahio's trainer Lolo Heimuli and handlers Sky Arena are working with raw power and toughness, they're taking a cautious approach to his development.

He will meet journeyman Clarence Tillman (11-19-2) on the undercard of tonight's Super 8 fight night at the Horncastle Arena in a four-round affair.

Such bouts will likely be a constant for him this year as he aims to keep active to make up for lost time.

He was at a crossroads a few years back when he decided to either join the army or pursue boxing; he'd won his share of street fights.

"My uncle, lovingly, took me here, brought me to Lolo Heimuli and ever since then it's been me," Ahio said.