Ryder admitted he had no idea who Slater was and had taken the fight to lift his fitness.

Cameron Slater knows the viewers might be switching on to watch him get knocked out.

Cameron Slater says he knows he sells newspapers, so now he's ready to sell pay-per-view television - even if he knows the viewers might be switching on to watch him get knocked out.

The controversial Whale Oil blogger and the subject of the Dirty Politics scandal will make his ring debut in Christchurch on March 28, against former New Zealand test cricketer Jesse Ryder.

And if the fight goes well, Slater has a list of opponents he would like to meet next - headed by Dirty Politics author Nicky Hager, television host John Campbell and New Zealand Herald journalists David Fisher and Matt Nippert.

Whaleoil blogger Cameron Slater.

"I would even lose 40kg to get into the ring with Nicky Hager," said Slater, who plans to drop a more modest 11kg down to 100kg to meet Ryder. "Any of those four, I will lose weight and match their weight to get into the ring with them, but I suspect they lack the stones to do it.

Slater said he had limited boxing experience, but "it's a good way to lose weight, a good way to get fitness up and these days with the death threats and people wanting to hate on you online, it might be useful to know how to use your fists".

Slater v Ryder will be the celebrity element of Sky Arena's Super 8 Cruiserweight tournament at Christchurch's Horncastle Arena, an eight-man knockout tournament for 90kg professionals, which includes the New Zealand champion Monty Filimaea.

Former test cricketer Jesse Ryder.

Slater admitted he would be the underdog against Ryder, who knocked out radio presenter Mark Watson three years ago in his only bout.

He said many might tune in to see Ryder knock him down: "Yes, but none of them are brave enough to get into the ring to do it themselves. None of the cowards on Twitter are prepared to get into the ring with me."

Slater will be trained by veteran boxing coach Henry Schuster, who admits it shapes as one of his more testing assignments. Schuster was shocked to learn Ryder was the opponent but said Slater had a good jab, but needed to learn ringcraft and develop stamina.

"It's one of those fascinating clashes where we don't know how it's going to go," said Keddell. "I take my hat off to Cameron Slater, it takes balls to get in the ring with a sportsman. They are both confident they are going to go well and that's the makings of a good fight."

Ryder admitted he had no idea who Slater was and had taken the fight to lift his fitness after two months plagued with a back injury. "I really enjoy the training and it is something a bit different from what I'm usually doing, and it worked for me last time," he said.

The fight is during the World Cup, at which Ryder might have figured for New Zealand. Instead, he flies out 10 days after the fight to take up a contract with English county Essex. "I haven't been thinking about the World Cup, I'm not involved in it, so it doesn't bother me really. To be fair I've no idea [if he will ever play for New Zealand again]. I haven't thought about it, I am just going to do a little bit of what I want to do for a little bit and try and enjoy cricket for a change."