Hello Fight Fans - DEC 15th

Hello and Welcome to week 7 of our regular news from Ireland’s leading Sunday newspaper, and what week it's been. Hamilton makes the headlines in his final count down to the big fight. And what's going on around the country and more.
If you have any news please email it to prokick@group.tm and now - Its show time! nearly.

HAMILTON MAKING THE HEADLINES
Chef Gary Hamilton had the right ingredients last night as he roared in Lyon. Sp were they as promised to catch only the second Ulster man in history to win a professional world title, see Alex McGreevy’s reporting from his office!. If he doesn't do it, I don't know what to write.

UTV BACK HAMILTON Ulster television followed world title challenger to Lyon. See exclusively on UTV’s sports round-up at tea time today and further coverage on UTV Live on Monday tomorrow. Top sports presenter Gary Gillespie and a camera crew made the trip to bring back the footage of y Hamilton’s world title bid, well done UTV for the insight to realize the popularity of the sport here in Ireland Hamilton fan base also made the trip, an entourage of supporters including his number one fan, 7 year old Christopher ‘Basher Bryans’ traveled with his father Sam also a member at Prokick for about seven years. Gary said, “ I’m really glad some of my supporters traveled to France I’m glad I didn’t disappoint then.

SMALL SCREEN Week four of Ali Jacko’s coverage on channel 5 continues with action from his events around England. Tune in tonight – in the wee small hours of the morning and tomorrow night at 12.45am. Catch Gary Hamilton world title report today and on UTV and tomorrow on UTV’s sport. Thanks for all your feedback from recent programmes on Sky when Gary Noade’s won a World title and Gary Hamilton defended his Intercontinental belt. More TV news next week.

WKN GALWAY FIGHTERS Fighters from Peter Foley’s gym are in action last week in two shows. First up is 15 year old Valerie Scully, travels to the York Hall in London where she faces Lucy O’Reilly (London) in a 3 round contest Valerie lost on a close points decision. Irish WKN champion Amy Charles (Galway gym) took on Amy Rochford (Dublin) over 3 rounds at the Ringside Stadium in Dublin at a non WKN sanctioned event. The fight night is promoted by Joe Canning which also includes Brenda Kerrane (Galway Gym) against Domi Oatley from England. WKN Intercontinental champion Owen Flatley continued his unbeaten run over the weekend by beat an English opponent on points.

CUMMINS TREBLE WORLD TITLE BID Kilkenny promoter and former professional World champion Paul Cummins told Forkicks this week of his plans to approach the WKN for a treble Amateur World title event in his town next year. His three main fighters Ruairi Burke (Current Pro/am World middleweight champion), David Burke (Pro/European Lightweight champion) and Vinny Di Ruso (Pro/am Intercontinental Light-middleweight champion) are the fighters he hopes to promote for the event. Full details will be released when we get the low down.

GRADING Prokick would like to congratulate all the kids who were successful in their quest for kickboxing excellence. The grading took place last week at the clubs headquarters on Sunday. Highest grade was to Robert Millar of Belfast, he was awarded brown belt. The last grading before Exmas is on Friday 20th Dec at 6.30pm. Students taking part should have received permission from their own club instructor to take part.

WKN NEWS The Regional office for the UK & Ireland has requested that all WKN fighters are to send renewed medial papers to the Licensing officer Robin Stewart by the 31st of January. This is part of the strict precautions they take every year with fighters. If the papers are not received the fighters will be assumed unfit to fight. THAILAND The biggest promotion in the kickboxing calendar which boasts an amazing 150,000 spectators took place last week, spectators crammed into the grounds outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok to try catch a glimpse of the sports top fighters. The event was televised LIVE all across Asia with delayed feeds back to European sports networks and Canal Plus France. Each year the top twenty-four fighters in the Art of Muay Thai are invited to take part and this year, on the undercard to the WKN sanctioned event was a professional WBA world boxing title between Thailand’s Yodsanan and Pearson Lamont of the USA. Boxing results: WBA World Featherweight bout Yodsanan (Thai) KO’d Pearson Lamont (USA) 9th round Next year Murray hopes to bring a team out to Thailand for training and fights, maybe even on the King’s Cup.

CANADA Twin Dragon promotions - Canada’s biggest promoters of kickboxing contacted Billy Murray in a bid to seal a return trip to Toronto at the end of February. The event planned is Ireland Vs Canada. The twins are particularly interested in bringing Gary Hamilton back. The last time the Belfast boy was in Toronto (September) he KO’d the unbeaten North American Champion Travis Coleman in just 53 seconds. The TSN TV network have expressed an interest to have him back after seeing footage of his last win at the Ulster hall when he Ko’d Joel Furtado of Portugal in the first round.. If you have any information on kickboxing send it to the above email address or if you want to check out any further news on the sport check it out by logging on to www.prokick.com

That’s it for another week all that needs to be said now is - ‘ keep your hands up and chin down’

If you are interested of joining the WKN, contact the regional office Tel. 028 90 651074 or if you have a information on kickboxing drop us an email to the above address.

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