‘The Bachelor’ holds fears for his face
‘‘The Bachelor’’ Art Green is worried his money-making good looks could take a hit in the boxing ring, but thinks he has the grit to take on Zac Guildford.
Green will face off against the former All Black during three twominute rounds at the Fight For Life charity boxing night in Hamilton on December 5.
The pair measured each other’s reach (Green won) then guns (results inconclusive), before engaging in a less-than-terrifying stare-down in Auckland yesterday.
The reality TV star admitted he had never been in a fight but said he had always been curious about how he’d go.
‘‘I’ve never boxed before, I’ve never been punched before, so learning to keep my eyes open is going to be pretty big.’’
Green’s girlfriend and former Bachelorette Matilda Rice was behind the whole thing, he said.
‘‘Initially, she didn’t really know who Zac Guildford was so she wasn’t too worried about it, and since she did a bit of Googling she’s become a little bit more worried.’’
Green said he thought he was tough enough to take on rugby’s bad boy.
‘‘Zac is, to be honest, pretty daunting. It’s making me take it very seriously . . .
‘‘He’s used to taking knocks so he’s probably got that advantage over me at the moment but by the time I enter the ring on fight night I think that I will have been through a few knocks during sparring sessions so I think I’ll be ready.’’
While Green was enjoying the physical challenge of boxing it was a change for him. ‘‘I’ve always thought of myself as a lover not a fighter.’’
But he hoped to become both a lover and a fighter.
He has been training with boxer and league star Monty Betham for the past few weeks.
Green and Guildford said they both agreed to the fight for the physical and mental challenge.
Guildford, who’s turned down the opportunity in the past, said he hoped it would help him become a better sportsman and a better person.
The charity aspect of the fight was also a pull for the pair, and Green said $100,000 was guaranteed for Hamilton Hospice.
‘‘[If] I lose in the ring I still win in the end.’’
Guildford said he was a fan of The Bachelor NZ reality television series and put his hand up to become the main man for the next season.
‘‘Throw the dog a bone,’’ he said.
While Green has it over Guildford in height (189cm v 180cm) and reach (83cm v 77cm), the former All Black wing has an extra couple of kilograms on Green, who weighs in at 93kg.
Duco Events director of talent relations Craig Stanaway said the match was going to be ‘‘a fabulous fabulous contest’’.
Last week netballer Irene van Dyk was named as one of the headline acts for the fight night.
Van Dyk is yet to find an opponent and event organisers said it was important to stick to the rule that dictates competitors must be within 10kg of each other.