The inaugural Dunedin Casino "Southern Showdown" will be staged at the Lion Foundation Arena on July 14 as a fundraiser for the Malcam Trust.
"We're after the everyday business person. Anyone who wants to take the journey," co-producer Doug Kamo said yesterday.
"The event is about the experience, the environment and the personal development.
"We want people who want to step out of their comfort zone and maybe tick something off their bucket list. Our focus is not on selecting the best or most accomplished boxers and it's not about who is the fittest or the strongest. It's about safety and fairness," he said.
"We'll be selecting a range of bouts that are fair and represent people across our entire community; whether it's industry on industry, business on business, sport on sport, club on club, or even just mate on mate."
The bouts would involve three two-minute rounds and the event had been sanctioned by the New Zealand Professional Boxing Association, Mr Kamo said.
Up to 50 applicants would be selected for a five-week "boot camp", starting on March 26 and supervised by Dunedin trainers Ryan Henry and Grant Hughes.
Up to 20 people would then be chosen to complete a further eight-week training programme before stepping into the ring on July 14.
Malcam Trust chief executive Rosey McConnon said it would be "more than a boxing event".
"It is an opportunity for individuals to stretch themselves and test their capabilities. At the Malcam Trust we know that hard work and discipline is instrumental for young people to achieve goals and self-improvement," she said.
"This mirrors the journey the Southern Showdown contenders will take as they ready themselves for the ring."
Applications forms are available online at southernshowdown.co.nz
