A calf injury has forced former WBC heavyweight champion Samuel Peter to withdraw from the SUPER 8 Last Man Standing tournament on June 4.

The injury, similar to the one that saw David Tua rescheduling his 2013 bout with Alexander Ustinov, occurred two weeks ago but hasn’t progressed enough for Peter’s manager Ivaylo Gotez.

"Fighting three times in a night is a physically different proposition to a one-off fight. With the cooling and inflammation between bouts it’s too great a risk. We want to showcase the best Samuel Peter possible, and this doesn’t allow the specific explosive training regime required to do that. We are committed to the SUPER 8, which is a tremendous platform for heavyweight boxing and Sam will be competing in the next event."

The Las Vegas based boxing supremo, who also manages fellow SUPER 8 contestants Hasim Rahman and Alonzo Butler, will still bring the Nigerian Nightmare to New Zealand on June 4.

"Sam is devastated, so we have agreed he will still come in June and act as an ambassador for SUPER 8."

SUPER 8 Match-maker Mark Keddell is disappointed but understands injuries are a regular challenge in the boxing business.

"This is combat sport, the athletes are like highly primed race cars so injuries are common place.

"For us it’s business as usual. The strength of the SUPER 8 is that it’s not just about one big name. The field remains the best ever assembled in Australasia, and Sam’s misfortune provides the chance of a lifetime for a kiwi fighter to play out a real life Rocky story."

In this case, the man stepping up is Kiwi kickboxing kingpin Antz Nansen. The WKBF World Heavyweight Champion is an 8-man specialist and two-time New Zealand 8-man King in the Ring champion with a respectable fight record of 33 wins 5 losses and 13 KOs.

Nansen is a cult figure among New Zealand fight sports fans and is relishing his evolution from kickboxing top dog to rank underdog.

"In our gym ETK, our motto is ‘Respect all Fear None’, my opponent will have two arms, two legs and one chin. Rest assured it’s the chin that I’ll be targeting."

Please note: The eighth and final fighter will be announced on Wednesday morning and the SUPER 8 matchups will be announced on Thursday morning.

Antz Nansen

Fight record:

Combined Boxing / Kickboxing record: 33 Wins, 5 Losses, 13 KOs

Two-time NZ King in the Ring Heavyweight 8 Man Champion

WKBF World Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion

Multiple New Zealand Kickboxing Champion

What is SUPER 8?

SUPER 8 is a last-man-standing boxing tournament in which the world’s best prizefighters compete for a share of $500,000 and the honour of being crowned the first Super 8 Heavyweight Champion.

Eight of the world’s best prizefighters will fight at a level and intensity never seen before for the richest purse of its type in global boxing.

The eight fighters will compete in seven elimination fights until there is one man left standing, who will be crowned the SUPER 8 Champion.

Knockouts are guaranteed, as the fighters will be incentivised with up to $80,000 in bonuses, including "knockout of the night" and "quickest knockout".

Attendees will experience a night of knockouts and explosive 3x3 minute rounds in which former and future world title-holders, contenders and prospects will compete for glory.

The evening will also showcase some of New Zealand’s emerging talent in fights that have been evenly matched to ensure its a night where every fight matters.

Who’s fighting?

Seven of the eight fighters have now been announced; their names alone make this the greatest card in New Zealand history. And there’s more to come.

The line-up so far includes:

HASIM RAHMAN (USA) aka The Rock

PRO RECORD: won 50 (KO 41) + lost 8 (KO 6) + drawn 2

Lineal Heavyweight Champion

2 x WBC World Heavyweight Champion

WBU Heavyweight Champion

IBO Heavyweight Champion

IBF World Heavyweight Champion (held simultaneously with the WBC Title)

2001 Upset of the Year - Ring Magazine (knocked out unified IBF/WBC Champion Lennox Lewis

Fought 10 current or past heavyweight champions (Wladimir Klitschko, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, James Toney, John Ruiz, Alexander Povetkin, Corrie Saunders, Oleg Maskaev, John Ruiz, and Trevor Berbick.)

Fought both David Tua and Kali Meehan and both are looking to even the score.

KALI MEEHAN (AU/NZ) aka Mean Hands

PRO RECORD: 38 Wins (31 KO), 5 Losses, 0 Draws

WBF World Heavyweight Champion

WBO world title heavyweight challenger

Former concurrent Australian Heavyweight champion

New Zealand’s most accomplished international Heavyweight fighter

MICHAEL SPROTT (ENG)

PRO RECORD: 40 Wins (27 KO) + 21 Losses + 0 Draws

2 x International Prizefighter winner

MARTIN ROGAN (IRE) aka The Entertainer

PRO RECORD: 16 Wins (8 KO) + 5 Losses + 0 Draws

Original Prizefighter winner and Irish Cinderella man

ALONZO BUTLER (USA) aka Big Zo

PRO RECORD: won 30 (KO 22) + lost 2 (KO 0) + drawn 1

Big Zo is making a comeback to the ring after a career stalled by injury. 6 foot 3 Butler is a big man with a big punch, notching 22 KO’s in 30 victories in his 32-fight career.

ANTZ NANSEN (NZ) aka "Notorious"

PRO RECORD: Combined Boxing / Kickboxing: 33 Wins, 5 Losses, 13 KO’s

Two-time NZ King in the Ring Heavyweight 8 Man Champion

WKBF World Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion

Multiple New Zealand Kickboxing Champion

BRICE RITANI-COE (New Zealand Wildcard Fighter)

PRO RECORD: won 3 (KO 2) + lost 2 (KO 0) + drawn 1

- Sparring partner for some of the top fighters in the world

- Huge backing from major boxing & MMA stars

- Went the distance with Joseph Parker

- SUPER 8 NZ Wild Card

Fighter Number 8 - to be announced tomorrow

SUPER 8 EVENT DETAILS

Name: SUPER 8: Last Man Standing Heavyweight Boxing Tournament

Date: Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Venue: The Trusts Arena, Auckland

Website: www.supereight.co.nz

Time: Doors open 6pm, event begins 6:30pm, broadcast begins 7pm

GA Tickets: Ticketek and Ticketdirect

Corporate Tickets: www.supereight.co.nz