Hello Kickboxing & Fight Fans - Nov 24th

Hello Kickboxing & Fight Fans - Welcome to the forth week of kickboxing own regular news column in Ireland’s leading Sunday newspaper, and what a week at that. Again SP For kicks exclusively revealed that Gary Hamilton is now warming up for a crack at a world title, read on. Also check-out all the news from around the country and more.
If you have any news please email it to prokick@group.tm and now lets get the gloves off:-

SP ForKicks can exclusively reveal - there are talks underway for Lightweight Intercontinental champion Gary Hamilton to make a challenge for a professional World title. However, home fans may be slightly disappointed, as the fight in question would not take place in Belfast, but Lyon, France is where Hamilton must travel. Hamilton’s coach Billy Murray was contacted by the WKN world president Mr Stephane Cabrera on Wednesday to find out whether Gary would be interested and available to fight on 14th December. In order to take the bout Gary would need to drop in weight from Lightweight at 62.3kg to Featherweight at 60.3kg, a task which Murray believes could prove difficult. “Gary has never been as light as 60 kilo and it would be a struggle to make the weight as he is tight at 62.3kg ” He said. However, Murray has spoken to Hamilton who says he is confidant and is up for the task. It may be difficult to drop the weight but if that’s the sacrifice he has to make to become World Champion both he and Murray believe they should take it. “last week we seized an opportunity for Gary Noade to fight for the amateur World title and it paid off. Opportunities like this don’t come your way every day and it would be the icing on the cake for Prokick’s year if Gary was to bring back the professional world title for Christmas.” Murray said. Promoter Murray, had originally released details that the two Gary’s would probably headline in a double header challenging for the World belts early in the New Year. A double header may still be possible, only this time it could be a double defence. Hamilton’s challenge needs to be confirmed for December and secondly he needs to defeat the current Champion Pastor Pascal. Contractual matters are all that stand between Gary and his dream, ForKicks will keep you posted. In the meantime Keep an eye on the Prokick web site for all the up-to-date news click-Box to www.prokick.com/people and if you want an event listed or if one of your guys is making news drop us a line through cyberspace on prokick@group.tm

Murray was in a hurray as skeptics are Ko'd Promoter Billy Murray proved all his skeptics and doubters wrong last weekend. His promotional wagon rolled into town for the eighth time this year. The International & Championship kickboxing event was originally planned for Dublin’s National Basketball Arena but ran into difficulties and in just one week he moved the event to Belfast’s Ulster Hall.

The Former World beater spoke exclusively to ForKicks - “ Rather than canceling the event completely we changed venues and the date to one day later, I took a chance and it paid off, It was against everyone’s advise to go ahead with the event but instead to pull the plug! However, that’s not me! If I can, I’d rather battle through with the project.”, And battle he did. “ Its been the most stressful and the hardest week I’ve encountered in the promotion business. An 18 hour day for a week and now I’m glad its over. The hard work from the team speaks for its self, with a great turn out of around 1,100 people and on a Sunday night at that. Gary Noade was crowned new world champion, two Intercontinental titles, Paul Day won a Pro-Am title and Gary Hamilton defended his Professional Intercontinental title in knock-out style in just over sixty seconds.” (See Martin Mawhinney’s report) The action packed event can be seen on SkySports 3 on December 4th and 11th at 9pm.

The Small Screen - London based Kickboxing promoter and current WKN Lightweight world champion Ali Jacko as sealed a deal with UK TV Channel 5. A total eighteen one hour programmes will be televised beginning tomorrow night at 12.45am. Don’t forget to check out Sky Sports on 4th and 11th December when you can see all the action from the Ulster halls event in two separate one hour programmes. A big thumps up to UTV and TV3 in the Republic for all their coverage on the build up and post news to last weeks event at the Ulster hall.

Sporting award Galway’s kickboxing - Owen ‘feet of flames’ Flatly has been awarded a sports award for his achievements in the sport of kickboxing. The Galway fighter is the current WKN Pro-Am Intercontinental lightweight champion, Flatly move up a weight division to challenge world champion Chris Carslow of Glasgow last month, but was narrowly piped on points. Owen has since stopped the American champion in three rounds on Promoter Peter Foley’s highly successful - Ireland Vs USA event three weeks ago. Owen received his award at a black tie event hosted by the Mayor of Galway. Well done to Promoter Peter Foley and his fighter Owen Flatly.

Newly crowned World Super welterweight champion Gary Noade and Lightweight Intercontinental Champion Gary Hamilton are meeting with the Lord Mayor of Belfast Alex Maskey on Wednesday as a token for his acknowledgement and appreciation for their great achievements in the Sport.

New Club At long last ProKick will open again in the town of Bangor Co.Down. Prokick stopped teaching there last year when the health club Gold card closed down due to staffing problems. Kickboxing enthusiasts will now have a chance to train with the counties best. The club will open at the Bangor Castle leisure center in the early New Year. For those new starts that’s where kickboxing Mania II was staged. If interested email address is above or phone ProKick on 028 90651074

New Professional Dublin’s Sean Collier vacated his Pro/am World title and opened his professional account in knockout style stopping former middleweight World champion Chinto Mordillo of Spain in the third round. Both men found themselves on the canvas in the opening two rounds of the hard hitting heavyweight contest, but Collier’s power proved too much for the Spaniard.

WKN News New WKN member John Quigley of Tullamore Co, Offaly was in action last weeks under-card of Gary Noade’s World title victory at Ulster Hall, when he faced Dubliner Paul Abbott. On that occasion John was held to a draw by the Dubliner, but his sponsor and employer Mr Lawrence Browne of De Bruns Bar in Tullamore was so impressed with standard of the event that he is interested in helping stage one himself. His main aim is to bring events to their home town and help build on his Trainee managers profile and that of the sport in the area. Plans are being put forward to hold the first event early in 2003.

Missing Kickboxer Police are continuing their investigation into the missing Ugandan fighter who went missing a nearly two weeks ago on Wednesday morning 13th November in Belfast. Police have been notified of one possible sighting in the Ballymena/ Ballymoney area and are appealing to the public to inform them of any information which may help with the investigation. If anyone has seen him, they are advised to notify their local Police station or email ForKicks prokick@group.tm

Tragedy Prokick Gym received the sad news on Friday of the tragic death of one of their members. Nineteen year old Gregg Morrow died on Thursday afternoon after being involved in a car accident on Wednesday morning at the Newtownards-Belfast dual carriageway. All the members at Prokick would like to extend their condolences to all the family and to brothers, who also train at the club, he will be sadly missed. The funeral will take place at the Knock Methodists Church at Tuesday at 10.30am.

Don't forget to check out the sunday people every week for all your kickboxing news!


Well that's it for the week 4 of the People kickboxing news column,. Next week more news on Gary Hamilton and a look at WKN International circuit.
If you have any information on kickboxing or want to check out any further news on the sport check it out by logging on to www.prokick.com

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