Hello KickBoxing Fans - Feb 23th 2003

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Rumble in the Bay Galway’s ‘Feet of Flames’ Owen Flatley hopes to win a pro/am World title on his second attempt as he tops the bill at Peter Foley’s ‘Rumble in the Bay’ sponsored by Sally Long’s Bar in Leisureland Complex next Sunday. Flatley the current European champion lost out on points in Glasgow’s against Chris Carslow for the Welterweight title last year, but has dropped down the weight to challenge for the vacant Lightweight title against the No.1 contender Jerome Houn of Paris. Sources close to Owen said this week that he is more focused and determined than ever and that the title will stay in Galway. Heavyweight prospect Sean Collier will hope to extend his professional record to two & two. The former pro/am World Champ opened his professional account with success in the Ulster Hall back in November last year when he stopped former middleweight world champion Chinto Mordillo in three rounds. This time Collier meets the current French Champion Phillipe Soyer. Promoter Foley wants to raise Sean’s profile and to beat a French champion in only your second fight would be a major boost for the Wexford man. Titles are what he wants and the offers should come with victory next weekend. Sean is also scheduled to fight in Galway again in May and in Belfast in June. Belfast pro Full-Contact World Champion Gary Hamilton will open his account in the noble art of Thai Boxing when he faces European ranked Mike Pazowski. Hamilton was in action last night (Check main kickboxing specail) and the fight next weekend will be his second of three in as many weeks. He is off to Norway on March 8th when he returns to the Full-Contact style. Tickets for next Sunday’s event can be purchased from Peter Foley Tel. 0878119227

Grading Congratulations to all member who passed their yellow, orange, green and blue belts at the Prokick Grading on Friday evening. A special congratulations to Ann Kennedy who flew back from England especially to do her blue belt and to attend the tenth anniversary dinner in the Hilton last night. Ann recently moved to Norwich where she will be setting up a Prokick Gym soon.

War of the Rings Kilkenny’s Paul Cummins is no stranger to the competitive ring, but his next bout has something of a different air about it because it comes just four days before the former light middleweight World Champion ties the naught to his long term fiancée Patsy. He could be in for a ring war of a different kind if he comes back from his rematch bout against Daniel Nordas in Norway on March 8th with even the slightest mark on his face. Check out next weeks column when Forkicks speaks to the man and wife to be or not to be!

WKN The WKN’s top man World President Stephane Cabrera had to send his apologies and best wishes to Billy Murray and the Prokick Gym this week. The Frenchman was due to one of the guests of honour at the 10th anniversary ‘Bash & Mash’ but was unable to come due to problems with his passport. Cabrera who is going to Nigeria next month to oversee the first ever kickboxing show there sent his passport over to be stamped in order to be cleared for his Visa and unfortunately it had not returned in time for him to catch his flight yesterday on Saturaday morning… C'est la vie Stephane.

Sex Bomb Returns No not Tom Jones in concert, but Belfast kickboxer Kris Hanna otherwise known as ‘Sex Bomb’ by those in the fraternity is due to make a welcomed return to the ring in the coming weeks. Despite only having only fought on four previous occasions Kris is a well respected competitor. He won three of his contests within the distance and narrowly lost out on point to the now Welterweight World champion from Glasgow Chris Carslow. Carslow is the main goal for Hanna who absence from the ring was work related. “I was always going to get back in the ring and once I heard Carslow was the champion it gave me even more drive, because I know I can beat him and was unlucky to lose the points decision away from home the last time.” Said Hanna. He reopens his account next weekend when he travels to Galway at Pete Foley’s event and will be back in action again in France just three weeks later. Carslow is a wanted man with three fighters now snapping at his heels for a chance to clinch the welterweight crown. Super-Welterweight champion Gary Noade and European Light weight champion Owen Flatly will probably get a bite at the cherry first though. We will keep you posted.

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