International Kickboxer Magazine, September/October, 2013
Steve McKinnon has just come through a difficult twelve months, but he’s feeling good. This year, Steve has had two fights on Glory World Series, the European promotion that has stepped in to fill the vacuum for world-class kickboxing since the demise of the Japanese K1. Continue reading
International Kickboxer Magazine, March/April 2014
Sam Greco is more than just a world champion full-contact karate fighter who became a world champion kickboxer during the glory days of the now-defunct K1 organisation: he is a legend. Continue reading
International Kickboxer Magazine, July/August 2013
Giorgio Petrosyan is that great rarity in fightsports: he boasts an almost unblemished record of eighty fights for seventy-six wins. Interestingly, only one of those unsuccessful ventures is recorded as a loss. There are a handful of other fighters who can lay claim to near-perfect records, but their resumes are a patchwork of second-tier opponents and greats past their prime. Not so with Petrosyan; he has fought – and defeated – all of the best fighters in the world today in contests spread across all of the premier ‘kickboxing’ organizations. Necessarily, his career has sustained many ups and downs outside of the ring. Continue reading
International Kickboxer Magazine, July/August 2013
Stuart McKinnon is a vocational fighter. When IK caught up with him, it was to talk about his recent win over tough New Zealander, Josh Tonna. Stuart has many other things on his plate, however. Family life, running his gym and contributing to the ongoing success of his younger brother, Steve, take up much of his time. Continue reading
Nathan ‘Carnage’ Corbett has recently signed to the Glory World Series with his first designated opponent being Tyrone Spong. Spong is widely considered to be the best fighter at his weight in the world. This was also the case when Nathan knocked him into the middle of next week back in 2009. Spong has gone on to distinguished showings in K1 and the Glory World Series, while Nathan has remained undefeated since last they met.
Trainer extraordinaire Richard Walsh gives us the low-down on what’s to come. Continue reading
International Kickboxer Magazine, May/June 2013
Ramon Dekkers was the most significant Western fighter to wear the Mongkon. In fact, he and Rob Kaman can be credited with re-inventing Muay Thai in Thailand, its country of origin. Continue reading
Revenge of the beard!
International Kickboxer Magazine, March/April 2013
In Queensland, people grow all kinds of crazy things in their backyards. At Jamie Stamp’s house in Ormeau, it happens to be a kickboxing gym.
“It started off as a small shed down the back of the house,” says Jamie. “Since Anthony [Vella] has come along, the place has grown in leaps and bounds. It’s getting bigger and bigger! We’ve already got six of our regular fighters matched for February, and there’s fifteen or so fighters down there altogether.” Continue reading
International Kickboxer Magazine, March/April 2013
The Full-Force Gym in Blacktown in Sydney’s western suburbs is a family affair. JARROD BOYLE talks to MICHAEL BADATO and JOE CONCHA, two of its brightest stars. Continue reading
I am lucky enough to have Christian Ennor holding pads for me. He is among the best pad holders I have worked with; he is systematic and understands not only how fights work, but how to train for them.
One of the things I admire most about him – other than his insight into the intricacies of fighting – is his physical courage. He always positions himself in such a way that I can get maximum leverage and power into my strikes, which is always at his expense. That kind of self-sacrifice is emblematic of the very best trainers.
He is also proof that a great trainer needs intelligence and insight every bit as much as experience. Continue reading
Ramon Dekkers is one of the greats of Muay Thai; probably the greatest Westerner to ever don the Mongkon. He had two hundred fights for one hundred and seventy-five wins, which would probably have been an even greater number had he not taken so many fights back-to-back with as little as a week in between.
Sadly, Dekkers died today, aged 43. He made a massive contribution to my fighting and training life; he and his father Cor Hemmers made my experience of living and training in the Netherlands fantastic.
Theme Park at its Darkest 