Tohu in third attempt at professional boxing debut

A former world ranked amateur boxer is hoping it will be third time lucky at a hybrid fight night in New Plymouth.

Boxing promoter Sam Rapira is planning a 13-bout combination of kickboxing, MMA and professional and corporate boxing on the same May 6 card.

And he is now lining up a cruiserweight opponent for Te Kapotai ‘‘Te Taniwha’’ Tohu – the New Plymouth fighter who has twice missed out on debut fights as a pro.

Tohu achieved a number eight world ranking as an amateur in 2016 as a teenager when he reached the quarterfinals of the junior world championships at 75kg in Russia. He was out of action for an extended period because of an injury suffered while playing under-21 rugby for Spotswood but is now back to full fitness.

Tohu was lined up to make his debut on a Rapira fight card last May but his opponent was a no-show, then last December his second attempt to get into the ring was halted by an injury in training.

‘‘I am excited about Tohu’s professional debut because he fought at such a high level in the amateurs,’’ Rapira said.

The promoter is testing the waters with the hybrid night, opting to use the YMCA in central New Plymouth.

It is a smaller venue than the TSB Stadium but just a couple of minutes’ walk from the city centre.

He has tagged the event the Taranaki v Aotearoa Hybrid Fight Night and it will be the first of its kind in Taranaki.

Leading up to the main event will be six corporate boxing, four kickboxing and two MMA fights.

Rapira said the MMA fights promised to be good ones – ‘‘I know the two Southern Tribes gym fighters are looking to impress the crowd in the first local MMA bouts in almost a decade’’.

Southern Tribes has martial arts academies throughout the country – and in Australia.