Neville Knight and Michelle Burke during a 5km run in Hamilton last year.

Neville Knight, the boxer who died in the ring in Hamilton on Saturday, was to marry in four weeks.

Knight's fiancee, Michelle Burke, was ringside when he collapsed at 9.15pm and was one of those who administered CPR. His 10-year-old stepson was also in the audience, as was Knight's trainer, Nabby's Boxing Gym owner Dion McNabney​.

"He wasn't hit. He just dropped in the second round," an emotional McNabney said on Sunday morning.

"I knew something wasn't right, so I run around the side of the ring.

"The doctor and the corner man just put him in the recovery position and just took his mouth guard out. It looked like he was having a seizure. I knew something wasn't right, so I just screamed out, 'Call an ambulance.' "

McNabney said Knight had passed his medical that morning and was in the ring with former Rock FM jock Nick Trott when he collapsed.

A doctor, other medical staff and Burke worked for over 30 minutes to try to resuscitate him.

"He was gone."

McNabney said it appeared to be a "freak medical event".

"A number of people were having a go [CPR]. The amateur event I run is through Boxing New Zealand and IBA [International Boxing Association]- being an Olympic sport, everything has to be done by the book," McNabney said.

"You can have either a doctor or St John [at a boxing event], otherwise there is no tournament. We had a doctor."

Knight, 49, was a power line technician in Hamilton and had been training at Nabby's with "Mitch" Burke and his stepson for almost two years.

A family friend who declined to be named confirmed on Sunday the couple were set to be married. Family from overseas were arriving in New Zealand from Sunday.

"Nev and Michelle were a great couple," the source said. "They trained together, they are a tight-knit family. It's a huge loss," she said.

McNabney, who organised the Foodies Corporate fight night at the racecourse, said all the boxers had a medical test on Saturday morning and Knight had passed. Knight had no known medical conditions.

"He was fit, he had legs on him like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Honestly, he was in magnificent shape. He was one of the fittest men in the gym. He was still playing masters rugby league overseas."

"It's a tragedy. It's a loss."

Knight, known as The Terminator, his partner and his stepson were all boxing at the corporate boxing event at Te Rapa Racecourse on Saturday night, he said.

This was Knight's third corporate fight.

McNabney said staff would organise a memorial at the gym for Knight.

"His partner was having her first fight that day, and his [step]son was having his sixth fight that day as well. So they all fought.

"They have been a big part of our boxing whanau for the past two years. Just a bloody tragedy," he said.

"We had three from his family fighting. He was a humble bloke, Nev. He was just a soldier. A big strong man - but a real gentle giant."

Condolences were being shared on Nabby's Boxing Gym's Facebook page on Sunday morning.

"As a boxing whanau, we need to say how devastated we are tonight. Our only concern is to support Michelle and her family. This amazing family have been part of our whanau for two years, three family members fought tonight and they loved the sport. We all need to come together now as a Nabby team. Team Nabby, TRAIN HARD, FIGHT EASY. You trained hard Nev, you earned your name the 'Terminator'. RIP."

"It's devastating to hear the news. My thoughts are with Nev's family and all the Nabby's team. You were a well-respected man and will definitely be missed. So sad," wrote Alyce Edwards.

Alife Webb said, "Was a truly devastating blow to Nev's immediate family and also the Nabby's Boxing family, my thoughts are with you guys."

"Condolences to Nev's Whanau & to the team at Nabby's - thoughts and prayers with you all," wrote Leah Belle.

Fellow boxer Trott said he was "numbed" after the bout.

"I'd like to send my prayers to Nev's family. I know them, I trained with Mitch, his fiancee. I weighed in with Nev this morning. We both did our medicals. It's numbing."

Since fighting fellow radio host Grant Kereama in the 2003 Fight for Life, Trott has appeared occasionally on the corporate and celebrity boxing circuit.

Saturday night's event, organised by Nabby's, had two events" Young Guns II and Foodies Fight Night.

Hamilton Police acting Inspector Andrew Mortimore confirmed the death on Saturday night.

"Police have attended as a result of a request from ambulance staff," he said.

Mortimore said a doctor at the venue declared the man dead at the scene.



"Police are speaking to witnesses and family and will be referring the death to the coroner."

A witness, who did not want to be named, said she saw the man hit the ropes, then the ground.

"I don't know if he was hit - I just saw him hit the ground. The ambulance staff have been working on him for quite a while," she said.

"We were told to leave the hall about 9pm while the ambulance staff were still working on him."

The witness said there was no defibrillator at the venue.

"While they were resuscitating him, a lady came on the loudspeaker asking us to pray for him, then started crying," she said.

"Then an official came on the loudspeaker asking us all to leave out of respect. And there would be no more fights."

Hamilton boxing trainer Rick Ellis described the death as a tragedy.