In March, 60 hopefuls entered training camp. This number was reduced to the final 22 and now, 14 weeks and one injury-withdrawal later, their moment has arrived.
For punters, age might be the telling issue in one of the night's highlight match-ups between Queenstown property manager Johnny Stevenson (48) and the boy from Christchurch, bar manager Paddy Klutz (21).
However, for the two men boxing, it is not a numbers game.
"No way is Johnny a slouch. I'm sure it will be a big fight on the night," Mr Klutz said.
After being paired up mostly because of height and weight similarities, they have sparred several times together and although they've been separated at training for over four weeks, Mr Klutz admitted to keeping one eye on his wiser opponent.
"He's lost [a lot of] weight."
Mr Stevenson is taking nothing for granted and said the "fear of failure" had led him to extra bag work outside of the organised three-weekly training sessions.
The father of two is well aware the age card will be played up this evening, but he won't be using it himself.
Mr Stevenson said he was originally spurred on when he sat in on the annual fight evening last year and thought to himself: "Wonder if I could do that?".
He said he didn't think he was doing anything special being the only fighter over 40 years old, but did wonder how he got himself into what was turning out to be one of the most pressured nights of his life.
"They keep saying you'll know you're ready when you're completely and utterly over it. I was over it 10 days ago, so I must be well and truly ready."
His wife has been supportive, he said, however his children were forgetting whose side they were on.
"They think Paddy's going to smash me, which is unfortunate because I've already bought their ski gear for the season."
For Mr Klutz, the thriller experience has been one of the best experiences in what he has otherwise considered to be a "party town".
"I am stoked to be doing this.
You go through the Queenstown lifestyle boozing up and it's good to justify cutting back on all that."
Mr Klutz, who works behind the bar, said he has cut out alcohol "to a certain degree" throughout his training and had only a few "hiccups along the way".
Both fighters won't be lacking in support tonight and will have tables of people cheering their names - some with banners.
While Mr Klutz said he will be listening out for his family members who have come from Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin, Mr Stevenson is trying not to be sidetracked by the fact every other person in the room of 1500 has seen his face around town unharmed.
"I'm not sure how that actually helps ... It could be overpowering.
"There's only two in the ring; it's a lonely square."
