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Some questions, in particular frequently asked questions, may be
answered here, and this page will be updated periodically. Have you ever fought someone you admired? As a youngster coming up through the ranks, I was inspired by and admired Maurice Smith. I had admired him for years as a fighter and ambassador for the sport. We got on well and formed a great friendship. When I was moving through the ranks and fighting out of the Jet Centre in California, Maurice would ring me and say sarcastically "I know you're coming up! Are you after me?". "No, Maurice" I would reply, laughing. Maurice and I have remained friends and I'm proud to say I have fought in what was described as The Greatest Heavyweight Fight of all time up to that time. Even though I lost on a split decision, it raised me to a higher level. I knew I was on my way to becoming something special, something I've worked very hard over the years to produce. We brought out the absolute best in each other, and after I was proud to hear Maurice state that if he wanted anyone to take his place as a champion, he wanted it to be me. What do you consider among your greatest achievements in the sport? That's hard. There is not one fight that stands out, there are a lot of fights and moments and accolades that stand out for different reasons. Of course, one of the most anticipated fights, the most demanded by the public, in the history of the sport was between myself and Dennis Alexio, and that finally took place. Unfortunately, after the incredible hype, the fight was an anticlimax as most people are aware, but I won the fight and made history with a knockout in six seconds at this level of competition. A special win for me to have due to its significance, but more so because Dennis and I never saw eye to eye. I can honestly say that of all my opponents Dennis is the only one in 20 years that I never got on well with. When was it that you had a complete knee reconstruction? What were the events leading up to it? I can pinpoint the exact moment that I tore my anterior cruciate ligament to the third round of my fight with Mike Bernardo in Japan in December 1996. I felt it in the third round. From that point on you could see I was hardly throwing low kicks, and when I did it was only the motion, no power behind it because there was too much pain.  I
fought on without an anterior cruciate ligament and very little
cartilage as well! And despite the judges scoring the fight a draw,
the crowd and those who were there witnessing the fight, myself
included, felt I won the fight. I was a little disappointed at the
time, during the fight I had hurt Mike with a couple of low kicks,
but each time I felt the pinch in the right knee. Ultimately it
took away my low kicking ability, an area Mike's very vulnerable
in. From that fight on, I put it off and was taking risks. The following
fight, I won but my performance was definitely below my expectations.
I had three fights where I was basically using only my left leg
to kick with. To compete at an international standard with a torn
ligament was risky, and it caught up with me when I dropped a decision
in mid 97 through my ineffectiveness in the ring with the injury,
I realised I wasn't doing myself justice and was pushing my luck.
It was a big decision to make, the decision was easy enough, but
the process I'd go through was harder. There was a lot of pressure
on me to retire, from a lot of trusted people, including my management
and my doctor, saying that I should think long and hard, that I'd
been in the sport for such a long time. And look what I'd achieved,
what did I need to prove? But I didn't want that question mark of
"what if?" hanging over me, I felt I had a few more years
in me and didn't want to look back 12 months down the track and
regret not making a comeback. The knee reconstruction operation
was a huge success, but the rehab was very hard and trying. The
first couple of weeks after the operation, the pain barrier was
so high I wondered if it was all worth it. But that's the discipline
involved. I made my comeback, happily a successful one, in August
1998.What was life like in the early days living at the Jet Centre? There was a lot of stress. I kept thinking to myself whether or not all of this would pay off. I had pretty much taken a path unheard of at that point, I was exposing a new world. I was living in a tiny room on top of the centre with nothing much at all. There were times I was battered and bruised and I lied in bed only to find that if I turned one way my nose started to bleed, when I turned the other my shoulder was in pain. I went through a hell of a hard time over there, but that was like my apprenticeship. It was a long, hard road to get to where I did. I had faith, I had come to the other side of the world to chase a dream. I toughed it out and I made it. Were films something you had planned on getting into? During the early stages of my career, I made several short cameo's in films while I was based in the States. People said I had a bright future in the industry once I stopped fighting. This was something I gave thought to over the years and it was in the back of my mind. As early as the early 90's I had substantial offers coming through for film work, but I my focus at the time was entirely my fighting as I had so much happening there. So I passed on some opportunities as time went by, as I was beginning to reap the rewards of my kickboxing career, but now is the time for it to come together. This is the perfect time for one chapter to end and for a new one to be possibly opened in this field. How do you want people to remember you? I think, ultimately, I would like to be remembered as a person who always put on a good show. I have such a passion for putting on a good show that I was going to Japan and fighting with one good leg! I want to be remembered as someone who was a positive role model, as an ambassador taking the sport to others, and generally as a "nice sort of guy". What inspired you to get into a sport like Kickboxing? I knew I was getting into a sport that had no recognition and a miserable profile. I was given the opportunity to get into the sport of Boxing with the potential of having a more financially rewarding career. However, the fact that Kickboxing had no recognition in the past was a challenge in itself, I felt that if I was good enough I would be able to help lift the sport and become a positive ambassador and a good role model for the sport. There is a new era for the sport of Kickboxing, and I will be remembered as, at least, the MAN that took the sport to new levels in this country and beyond! What advice would you give to a young Kickboxer starting out in this sport? It is fair to say that Kickboxing is a potentially dangerous sport, like many other sports. However, I feel that the media seem to emphasize that Kick boxing and Boxing are both more potentially dangerous than any other sports. If you have the aspiration to get into competitive kick boxing, there are no shortcuts. You must be fit physically and mentally; other wise you can get hurt Which Kickboxing skills do you possess that you consider to be your best attributes? I like to think that I am good at both punching and kicking. One of my main attributes as a small heavyweight (5'10½'')is being compact and evasive. When I have to fight guys that are 6'2'', 6'3'' or 6'4'', I usually do attack their legs and do a lot of damage. I attribute this to my soccer skills, as I have always been good soccer player. In addition to the skills I have mentioned above, I possess another weapon which is equally as powerful; that is my mind. I believe that I am a smart fighter in the ring. |
