28 Mar 2015

Sport: Samoan boxers ready to go at Super 8 fight night

8:55 am on 28 March 2015

Samoan boxer Vaitele Soi is confident of adding three belts to his collection tonight when he takes on Australia's Anthony McCracken in the Super 8 Redemption night in Christchurch.

McCracken shocked top-ranked Kiwi David Aloua last November with a seventh round TKO to claim the WBA Pan African, WBO Asia Pacific and Oceania Pacific Boxing Federation Cruiserweight titles.

The 27 year old Soi, who finished runner up in last year's Super 8, says after putting the time in at training he's ready to avenge his friend's loss.

"I've been training together with David Aloua and he's talked to me about Anthony McCracken. I worked on all punches and these guys, their feet, so I will try and bring back the belt to New Zealand here."

Fellow Samoan boxer Farane Tavui is competing in the main Super 8 competition for the first time.

Samoan boxers Vaitele Soi and Farani Tavui with Monty Betham.

Samoan boxers Vaitele Soi and Farani Tavui with Monty Betham. Photo: Event Polynesia

Tavui represented Samoa at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was named Oceania Amateur champion in 2007.

He's still relatively new to the pro ranks and is competing in the main Super 8 event for the first time.

"I'm training hard and more experienced, training for more sparring and more fitness to win this fight, this tournament."

Farane Tavui says he expects American Brian Minto to be the biggest threat in the main event.

Meanwhile former New Zealand cricket and rugby league internationals Jesse Ryder and Monty Betham are among the celebrities competing on the undercard.