Hi KickBoxing Fans - June 22nd 2003

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KILKENNY'S TRIPLE WORLD TITLE BILL
Paul Cummins has no time to rest: the Kilkenny Express narrowly lost his bid for European glory on 7th June but is now putting the finishing touches to the biggest show of his life. This time Paul will be outside the ropes as the promoter, in what has been described as Kilkenny’s event of the year. It all takes place a week today in the Springhill Court Hotel, Waterford Rd, Kilkenny. Three pro-am World titles and a pro/am European title are all part of the huge line-up Cummins has put together for what he has described as one of the best shows yet for fight fans in Ireland.

Hard hitting Ruairi Bourke will be defending his Middleweight world title for the first time, when he comes face to face with Portugal’s Ricardo Fernandez. Stylish Vinnie Di Ruso and Scotland’s Paul McGregor will battle it out for the vacant light middleweight crown and the tough David Bourke takes on Douglas Morrison for the super welterweight world title that Downpatrick’s Gary Noade relinquished.

An eagerly awaited re-match makes up the semi-main event, as John Paul Somes defends the European title he took off Scotland’s Zander Patterson last year. A Thai-Boxing bout and three amateur boxing bouts make up the under card. For further details or tickets contact the promoter Paul Cummins.

K-1: NO K-0 IN BERCY
The latest K-1 world Grand Prix took place last Saturday night in Paris, and was televised live by Eurosport as part of the network’s ongoing commitment to kickboxing. A twenty-thousand strong audience crammed into the Bercy stadium in great anticipation of the spectacle which is ‘taking the world of fight sports by storm’ - that’s K1. But storm it did not: the thunder and fierce battles that people have come to expect from the biggest fighters on the planet, just didn’t happen. The elimination rounds looked like little more than sparring sessions and the super fights were an even bigger let down.
The current K-1 world champion, Ernesto Hoost, made very hard work of his fight, and proved that maybe he should have retired at the end of last season, as originally intended. He had announced his retirement last year before he went on to win the K1 title in a thrilling final, fracturing Jerome ‘Jeronimo’ Lebanner’s arm in three places and forcing a stoppage in the 3rd round.
It was Lebanner’s return – the second super fight of the evening – that brought the fight fans out in force. But his first fight since the injury simply did not live up to the expectations of the loyal Parisian fight-fans. Hopefully when he is well healed he will be back to his normal form.

DOWN BUT NOT OUT
Recently crowned British Light Heavyweight champion Nick Baird suffered a major set back this week – k/o’ed, but not in the ring. The unbeaten Saintfield man was floored after visiting his GP with severe stomach pains and being rushed to hospital diagnosed with appendicitis. The new British Champion was put on a priority operating list and had his appendix removed on Wednesday night. Doctors believe it could be a few months before he’ll be back in action - but girl friend Julie said, ‘I’ll have time to spoil him with some extra TLC as he won’t be training all the time now’. Lucky Nick!

All at Forkicks, along with Nick’s Prokick colleagues, wish him a very speedy recovery and we look forward to seeing him back at training and competing in the very near future.

MORE TV
Eurosport want more from Belfast. Billy Murray flies out to Paris this week to begin editing another two hours of action from this year’s Post Tenebras Cup which took place in Geneva last month. The action scheduled for this Saturday night (28th June) features two world title fights, including Mohamed Samir defending his Full-Contact world title. Irish talent Nick Baird and Brian Boyd are also in international action against Swiss and French opposition

Eurosport also contacted Murray at the beginning of the week with an offer for another live show on 9th August from the Ulster Hall. Murray will be meeting the chief programmers this week to discuss that date, another in September, and interest expressed in starting a monthly kickboxing magazine programme. This would show brief fight action and profile current and former top exponents of all three disciplines in order to increase awareness of the sport. Kickboxing has almost arrived as a mainstream sport. Stay tuned.

NOADE TO GO PRO IN GLASGOW
It is almost certaint that two time amateur world champion, Gary Noade, will be turning professional at Gary Langford’s event scheduled for 5th July in the Hilton Strathclyde. Anticipation is high in the Noade camp as plans are being put into place for him to meet Scotland’s Stuart McOwan. If successful, a win will undoubtedly fast track the Downpatrick dynamo immediately up the pro ranks.

McOwan is a highly experienced campaigner. Just three years ago, when a slightly younger Gary Noade was fighting for the amateur Irish title at Kickboxing Mania IV, Stuart McOwan was making the headlines as he battled his way to the top by winning the Super-welterweight pro world title. Three years on McOwan has lost that belt, but is still highly ranked in the welterweight division, which is Noade’s preferred weight.

Some may think this is too much to soon, but not Gary or his trainer Billy Murray. “Yes Stuart has a great wealth of experience,” said Murray, “but I believe his style will suit Gary down to the ground. It will be a great fight, but I believe Gary will emerge victorious”.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Next Saturday 28th June – Kickboxing on Eurosport 8pm-10pm
Featuring Nick Baird and Brian Boyd in international action.

Next Sunday 29th June – World championship event, Springhill Court Hotel, Kilkenny.

5th July – International kickboxing event in Glasgow

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