Kickboxing a big hit

ON THE BUTTON: Kihikihi baker Joel Nadin (left) made a great fist of his Welterweight World Title against Briton Marty ‘Mad Dog’ Wilson, after being called in as a late replacement. Wilson, the three time light middleweight world champion, won the fight but Nadin did well to take it the full distance. Photo by Fotopro, David Wheadon.

By Colin Thorsen

Any doubt a world class sporting event could be staged at the Trust Waikato Te Awamutu Events Centre has been dispelled once and for all.

Nearly 1500 spectators packed out ASB Bank Stadium for the full contact kickboxing extravaganza, despite the All Black v Australia rugby test counter-attraction.

All the hype of the pre-world title fights build-up had been so great it must have been a relief for organiser Rick Dobson when the event lived up to expectations. Having two local warriors of the calibre of ‘Bad Boy’ Brad Johanson and Joel Nadin disputing two of the three world titles added to the fever pitch atmosphere.

The event was a massive undertaking. One cannot speak too highly of Dobson, who had the vision and capability of establishing a management team able to front the pressure of organising such an occasion. Nine months of meticulous planning setting up the fights paid off.

There were no walkovers - all 11 bouts were high quality, evenly matched affairs, giving patrons value for their money. The world title fights involving three Kiwis and their Team Great Britain counterparts sent the parochial home town crowd into a frenzy. Their response to the entry of the fighters, particularly the Kiwis, into the ring nearly lifted the rafters off the Stadium.

Great Britain came out on top, winning two of the three world title fights, but no one went home disappointed.

Cris Janson-Piers, the Great Britain national coach was lavish in his praise of the reception the tourists had received.

“I’ve fought, coached and trained all corners of the globe - New Zealand has given us the best welcome we’ve had anywhere, right from day one.”

Janson-Piers said Rick Dobson was a credit to WAKO, World Association Kickboxing Organisation.

“We wish him all the best in the future. I’m sure there’s going to be a long friendship come out of this. Come the next world championships, I’m sure Great Britain will be barracking for the Kiwis and they’ll in turn be supporting us.”

Two-times British champion Marlon Hunt, who beat Johanson for the vacant world cruiserweight title, said he found New Zealanders to be very competitive, friendly people.

“All our team want to come back in the near future to take in the South Island and, hopefully, compete again in Te Awamutu.”

Dobson’s wife Ardele played a key role in the success of the night, being chief administrator. Team Great Britain had a mayoral reception on Friday morning, then made a guest appearance at 10-year-old world junior kickboxing championship contender Max Dobson’s Te Awamutu Primary School. They promoted the sport of kickboxing, signed autographs and answered questions about martial arts.

“Kickboxing is a great sport to instill discipline into kids and for them to enjoy some fun,” says Hunt. “Hopefully after our visit, the kids will look up to us, even though we’re British, and will want to have a crack at kickboxing. It sure beats standing on the street corner.”

The popular tourists visited Waitomo Caves, Rotorua and Auckland’s Sky Tower before flying out to Bangkok today to take in some Thai fights. They arrive home Thursday.

The world title fights night was the pinnacle for Dobson and his Phantom Kickboxing organisation. Since originally setting up ‘camp’ at Te Awamutu Primary School Hall in 2003, when the first club night attracted 100 through the door, the sport has escalated throughout the Waikato and Bay of Plenty. Dobson now has clubs operating at Kihikihi (since 2003), Otorohanga, Hamilton, Cambridge, Tauranga, Putaruru (2004), Ngaruawahia (2005) and Kaitaia (2006).

Part of his brief as president of WAKO, the largest kickboxing organisation in the world, since 2004 was to take the New Zealand team to last year’s world championships in Hungary. While there, he was promoted to Oceania president.

Te Awamutu has hosted regional and national kickboxing championships for the past two and a half years, and staged the Oceania semi-contact championships a fortnight ago. The town boasts three national champions - Max Dobson, who is also Oceania age group champion, Joe Howells and Brad Johanson.