Boxing: Aussie takes final Super 8 spot

The Super 8 boxing tournament, where Hasim Rahman is the drawcard, has added Australian Hunter Sam to complete the card. Photo / Greg Bowker

Australian heavyweight boxing champion Hunter Sam will take the final spot in next month's Super 8 tournament.

The June 4 event, which will be held in Auckland, offers a purse of $500,000 and has some of the most durable fighters on the planet, including the likes of former world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman and Kiwi Kali Meehan.

"Why would you say no? It's an unbelievable chance to test myself at the top level and make a statement in the heavyweight division,'' Sam, 29, said.

"I'm fit and ready, I've just come off a fight so the timing is perfect, I can't wait.''

Sam (9-2-2) fought six times in 2013 and in July he will meet Razvan Cojanu for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific Heavyweight crown, which will elevate him into the top 15 within the WBO's rankings if he wins.

WBA Asia Pacific regional director Brad Vocale has been ringside for several of Sam's fights and rates him a good chance of causing more than a few headaches for his more illustrious opponents.

"He's come up from cruiserweight and still carries that speed and is pretty good defensively. In a three-round fight he'll be able to use that speed to stay up tempo and use his eyes and feet to stay out of trouble.''

Aside from Meehan and Rahman, Sam will have to contend with the likes of Kiwis Brice Ritani-Coe and Antz Nansen plus Europeans Martin Rogan and Michael Sprott, while the returning Alonzo Butler is also on the card.

The first-round match-ups are set to be announced tomorrow.