Kickboxing champ helps finalise Super 8 lineup

Robert Berridge Photo/File

Two names from the world of kickboxing and amateur boxing will fill out the light heavyweight field featuring Wanganui export Robert Berridge at the Mahindra Super 8 tournament on November 3.

In addition to No1 seed Berridge and the No2 seed, NZPBF champion Reece Papuni, the two wild cards named this week by promoters VS Live are Brad Riddell and Sefo Falekaono.

Riddell, 24, is best known for kickboxing where he is the WKBF world middleweight champion with a 41-5 record.

Possessing a strong left hook, Riddell also has experience in shorter length fights for one-night tournaments, having been a previous King in the Ring tournament winner in an eight-man, three fights, Oceania event.

He has recently returned from Thailand and is preparing for the event with Israel Adesanya, a fellow top kickboxer who has previously entered the Super 8.

Falekaono, who has one victory since turning professional, represented New Zealand at the 2010 Delhi and 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, reaching the quarter-finals in Delhi.

An unorthodox switch-hitting counter puncher with genuine power in either hand, the Tongan-Kiwi Falekaono trains in the same camp as heavyweight Hemi Ahio and cruiserweight Monty Betham, who will be in title fights that evening.

The pundits expect Berridge and Papuni to get through the wild cards and meet each other in the final that night, although with the 3-round format, anything can happen. The Super 8, at Auckland's SkyCity Convention Centre, will be on Sky Sports 1.