IAN Young, a former Carrick Rangers and double Irish Premier League title winner with Linfield, added a new honour to his name on Saturday – in a kickboxing ring.
Young capped a superb debut performance in Aberdeen, defeating oil city native Simon Blackwood to mark his smooth transition from local soccer.
The Saintfield man turned down a move from Carrick Rangers to Bangor in the summer to take up the martial art and he looked like an old-hand at it with an all-action bout with Blackwood.
A first fight, a first win, and Young is hoping for much more action before the end of the year.
“It was great to finally get into the ring after so many months of hard training,” said Young.
“It was important to get off to a good win and to have a trophy in my hand at the end of the fight felt fantastic. I thrive on the training but the actual fighting is very exciting.”
Young admitted the challenge and the occasion was “much more exciting” than Saturday afternoon football.
“Nothing compares to the adrenaline I felt before, during and after my first fight,” said Young.
“The atmosphere was gripping from start to finish. I know it’s early in my career but I would have loved to have fought for a few more rounds, I just couldn’t get enough of it.”
The 28-year-old insurance consultant, who began his Irish League career with Crusaders, is expected to fight again on November 16 in Geneva.
In December he may land an opportunity to fight at the Ulster Hall where Gary Hamilton will challenge Mohammad Samir in what will be one of the biggest fight nights in the history of kickboxing in Ireland.
Young shone in a night of mixed emotions for our Prokick team in Scotland.

DING DONG ROUND 2: East Antrin's cruiserweight Adrian Clarke suffered a first-round knockdown to Scotland’s Billy Steven in Aberdeen. Clarke was caught with a big right hook to the temple and although he beat the count referee Bob Hunter was right to have stopped the fight.
The defeat has not deterred Clarke. He said: “It’s never nice to end up on the canvas before breaking sweat. I think the occasion and a bit of nerves got to be first but I have the experience over me now and I am keen to improve. Rather than it being something to discourage me, I’ll take it as a lesson learned.”

DING DONG ROUND 3: Saintfield man Stuart Jess was handed a great opportunity to fight for a Celtic title in Scotland at the weekend and was within 15 seconds of bringing it home when he was caught with a sucker punch. Jess was leading the fight and Scot Mickey Shields on the backfoot for most of their contest.
The knockdown favoured Shields in a split-decision but Jess is looking for an immediate re-match.
“I felt good in the fight and knew I had done enough to win it,” said Jess.
“I will put the defeat down to inexperience even though the knockdown didn’t hurt. It has made me hungrier to improve and get another shot at Shields because I know I can beat him.”

DING DONG ROUND4: former Carrick heavyweight James Gillen was happy despite being edged out on points in his bid to win the British and Celtic titles in Aberdeen.
Gillen met up again with the towering Steve Bonner, the man who floored him with an uppercut in Carrickfergus last month – a fight Gillen had stepped up to take a week’s notice.
Better prepared, he stayed the distance in a pulsating four round bout but didn’t win the favour of the judges.
Gillen felt he had done enough to win it but was pleased with his night’s work.
“It’s all about opinions and the judges’ opinion is final but I felt I did enough to win or, at very least, earn a draw. Still, I am happy with my performance and more encouraged about the future. I would love a third fight with Bonner but I don’t believe he will be keen to meet me again.”
Gillen will also be back in action on November 6 in Kilkenny and could travel to Geneva 10 days later to compete again.

DING DONG ROUND5: Darren Dougan lifted his career again following a clinical win over tough opponent Estonia’s Zigmantas Budrys in Aberdeen at the weekend.
Dougan had suffered a shock knock-down defeat to Steve Kitchner in Carrickfergus last month, after just 10 seconds of round one.
But the Magerafelt man bounced back in style to overwhelm his Eastern European opponent in the only international match of an all-Celt affair in Scotland.
“It was great to get back into the ring so soon after a defeat that made me wonder about the future,” admitted Dougan.
“I worked hard to get back to winning wins and I have asked my promoter, Billy Murray, to put me back in the ring as soon as possible.”
Sadly for Dougan’s Golden Dragon stablemate Niall Mullen the trip to Aberdeen was no so great. Mullen was stopped with just 10 seconds of the final round of his showdown with Callum MacDonald. It seemed Mullen was fighting his way to a well-earned draw but referee Bob Hunter stepped in when Mullen was breathing heavily. However, his corner disputed the referee’s interception.

DING DONG ROUND6: Liverpool fanatic Aubrey Tarr shared the Celtic lightweight title with prospect Alexander White in Aberdeen at the weekend.
Tarr, who fights out of the Carrick Kickboxing Club, earn the plaudits after he bounced back from two difficult rounds to snatch a draw. White, who is set to turn professional later this year, was fancied to beat Tarr but the Belfast man was not about accept the expectations of a fanatical support at the SkeanDhu hotel.
“The fact that he (White) is being tipped for big things only spurred me on to beat him,” said Tarr, who overstretched a hamstring muscle while preparing for the bout.
The brave lightweight, however, stayed the distance and proved too strong for White in the end, leaving the judges with a dilemma.
They did call a draw and after consultation with fight co-ordinater to find out who was the better ‘kicker’ in the bout, the pair could still not be separated.

DING DONG ROUND 7: Kilkenny fighter John Paul Soames earned a draw with welterweight Douglas Morrison in Aberdeen at the weekend.
Soames stunned the home fighter in their top-of-the-bill contest, making life difficult for the fancied Scot at the Skean Dhu Hotel. Both fighters proved cautious throughout the fight with neither dictating.
In the end, judges couldn’t come between the two and called a draw, pleasing both camps. Team mate Pat Young of Kilkenny's TopPro Gym won a clear points victory of Michael Pierre of Motherwell in a non-stop all action bout.

DING DONG ROUND8: Waterford’s Leanne Carberry suffered defeat to fiery Scot Adel Steinbach at the Skean Dhu Hotel in Aberdeen at the weekend.
Fraserburgh girl Steinbach was beaten by Prokick’s Cathy McAleer in June when the Celtic title was at stake. But she bounced back to win a super-bantamweight Celtic title with an emphatic stoppage of Carberry.
The fight was evenly balanced after two rounds by the tiny Scot went into overdrive in the third and final round, stopping the Irish girl with a flurry of shots.

DING DONG ROUND9: Prokick teenager Mark Baird got a taste of a big fight night in Scotland at the weekend, and didn’t look out of place in his ring debut. The 15-year-old enjoyed a demonstration bout and gained valuable experience when he shared the canvas with former world champion Stuart McGowan, a local hero in Aberdeen.
Fearless Baird proved popular with the packed-out Skean Dhu hotel audience, I'm confident the youngster has a big future in the sport.
Billy Murray said: "Every once in a while a talent breaks through an instantly you know there’s something special about to happen. Mark Baird is something special and already at a tender age his development has been rapid. If he keeps up the hard work could get the chance to appear at the Ulster Hall in December, making him one of the youngest ever to appear at the great fight hall."

AND finally, Carrickfergus World champion Gary Hamilton warmed up for his December showdown with Samir in a prestige bout against Willie White. Meanwhile Prokick’s Kenneth Thornton, Julie McCloskey and Gary Longbridge took part in an intensive referee’s course in Scotland at the weekend. The trio passed the six-hour test with flying colours just before a big fight night at the Skean Dhu Hotel in Aberdeen. There, they were immediately handed the task of judging their first fights. It’s great that Northern Ireland has three new judges qualified for forthcomings shows. There is always a shortage of good judges and I am confident the three will gain valuable experience in some of our small hall shows before moving on to the big events.

Well done to all the organisers of the Aberdeen event - Mr Albert Ross and Gary Langford - they put on a brilliant event with outstanding hospitality....well done, can't wait until the next event!