Hi KickBoxing Fans - Sept 14th 2003

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Craigavon man James Gillen has a double fight on his hands – to be crowned Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion of Ireland and to lose more than six stone in weight.
Until just a few weeks ago, Gillen tipped the scales at 129kg (21 stone) - but he needs to get down to 96kg (15 stone) for his title fight on September 19.
The 29-year-old security consultant is training for the battle, when he will face Chris Dowling of Galway, at Billy Murray’s famous ProKick Gym in east Belfast. He is putting in at least three hours a day of punishing work.
“When James first took up the sport at Prokick he was a thunderous 24 stone,” his coach Murray said. “But over the last two years he has dropped down to a slimmer 129kg just through his normal training at the gym.
“For the last two weeks, I have put James through the mill. Every morning before he heads to work he’s with me at the gym and he’s sticking to my diet-plan which has brought me through a dozen or more of my own title bouts. His target is 96kg - a mammoth task but he will do it. The Aiken Diet has nothing on this regime.”
“If I can beat the scales, I’ll destroy Dowling,” said Gillen.

ProKick’s new class at Andersonstown Leisure Centre is almost full to bursting point, just a week after it opened.
The latest addition to the ProKick franchise drew in 15 eager young West Belfast fight fans when it opened its doors for the first time last Tuesday (September 2). And any other would-be kickboxers keen to join need to get along early next week because the exclusive club will only accommodate 20 people in total.
“It was a great response for a first week,” said ProKick founder Billy Murray. “We have more than a dozen ProKick operations throughout the North, but we had never opened one in Andersonstown. I think it was long overdue.
If you wish to join the ProKick class, you need to ring ahead and book.
Ring 02890 651074 and book your place now.

Kickboxing continues to grow as one of television’s biggest developing sports.
And the WKN – the World Kickboxing Network – are a key element in the sport’s climb.
WKN have just signed a deal with Eurosport for a host of Kickboxing events throughout Europe next year. It means that if there is a Kickboxing event on the sports network, it will carry the WKN seal of quality.

If you’ve ever marvelled at the two men moving in fluid action and throwing martial arts moves over the roof-tops of London in BBC trails, you’re in for treat. They are heading to Belfast for the explosive event in the Ulster Hall on September 19.
The men are experts in the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira.
It was born from the slave trade in the 17th century when slaves were forbidden by their Portuguese owners to take part in any combat. They devised the dance that brings in elements of fighting but does not allow contact.
“I saw them live a couple of weeks ago in London,” said Billy Murray. “They were so agile and focused in their movements. It’s easy to see why many people are being drawn to it. I can see some of the elements we use in Kickboxing. They are really going to add a whole extra element to the September 19 show.”

Tickets for the September 19 Ulster Hall Kickboxing Extravaganza, 'King of the welterweights', are disappearing fast. "We are close to a sell-out," said promoter Billy Murray. "Anyone who wants a ticket (£12.50 - £25 for ringside) needs to move very quickly. They should ring the Ulster Hall 02890 323900, ProKick 028 9065 1074."

Rumours are growing that the sports editor of a well known Sunday newspaper is about to accept the challenge thrown down by comedian John McBlain and step into the ring for a celebrity kickboxing fight.
There are no details of the time or place of the confrontation, but ForKicks understands that the pair will come nose-to-nose for a pre-fight meeting at the September 19 Ulster Hall event.

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