Germany (4) - Northern Ireland (3)

Germany celebrates sporting treble.
Soccer, Professional Boxing and Kickboxing have German sport fans jumping for joy at the weekend.
It was a big night in the city of Hamburg on Saturday 19 May, first up the cities soccer team fought their way from the bottom of the league to take the 7th position in the Bundesliga on the last game of the season by beating Aachen 4-0 at the sold out AOL Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Later that night LIVE across Germany from the Color Line Arena in Hamburg, Germany beat a European select 7-0 with six big Pro titles on the card from National, Intercontinental, two European and a world crown all on offer.
Across town another big match of a different nature was taking place at the Wandsbeker Sporthalle downtown Hamburg just 5 miles from where Hamburg hammered Aachen – Northern Ireland took on a German select in an International kickboxing event – and again German sport fans went home happy.
The ProKick Northern Irish team narrowly lost the team event by one match to a more experienced squad by four fights to three with two other matches declared draws.
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Lightweight 64kg
Gary Hamilton (Winner Points) NI Vs Roman Gebert GER
World champion Gary Hamilton helped lift the team’s morale with his bout being the last fight of the team event. Hamilton showed the German public exactly why he is the king of the square ring at the featherweight division – Hamilton shone like a star from the Premier league in a one sided affair against homeboy Roman Gebert. It was in the final round of a five rounder that Hamilton’s power and his trade mark kicks to the body forced the referee to administer a standing eight count. The fight went the distance with no mistake on any judges score cards unlike former football star turned kickboxer, Ian Young.

Super Welterweight Kickboxing 70kg (Draw)
Ian Young NI  vs.    Uwe Menzzer GER
Young found himself on the wrong side of the judges in a Thai style match against Uwe Menzzer. After a hard four rounder the judges couldn’t split the two talented fighter’s and gave a draw. Experienced German fight fans booed and hissed at the decision showing their disapproval at the judges’ verdict. Young felt he was a clear winner over the four round bout.
“I thought I done enough to get the nod from the ringside judges, maybe they were watching a different fight from the fight-fans in the hall who also thought I was the winner.” said the current British super welterweight champion. “The whole team done well against the German’s even though they beat us 4x3 and two draws that should have went to us... consolation is I never lost so its about moving on to my next fight which is for the European title on the 15th June at the Park Avenue hotel."

Super welterweight 70kg  Full contact
Stuart Jess NI vs.    Marcel Tratnik GER (Winner Points)
Saintfield’s British light welterweight champion Stuart Jess lost on a close point’s decision that could easily have went to the builder Jess. Stuart started the stronger in the opening rounds but the German champion’s experience shone through to see him finish the last round stronger. The judges took time to deliberate and gave the nod to Tratnik on a split decision.

Super heavyweight +96kg
James Gillen NI vs.     Jerry Hoffmann GER(Winner 2nd KO)
Portadown’s James Gillen will have serious thinking to do over his competitive career. The super heavyweight Gillen put in a lightweight performance after stomach trouble and a late arrival in Hamburg. Gillen was stopped in the second round in his contest against Jerry Hoffmann. Gillen will talk to his coach Murray this week to see where he goes from here.

C-Class
Super welterweight 69kg
Gary Fullerton NI vs. Steve Schnorrbusch GER (Winner Points)
East Belfast whirlwind Gary Fullerton blew himself out in his first international. The young kickboxer was overwhelmed by the big occasion and didn’t perform to the best of his ability.
Coach Murray said “This was a big ask of Gary as his thoughts were not on the match as a family member was ill. Combined with the nerves of his first international, especially when it was a massive show like this, all the kickboxing training that he has done to date would not come together in the ring. I am happy with what he has accomplished in just his fourth outing as a kickboxer.”



Super Heaveyweight Full contact (Draw)
Gary Jess NI vs. Rene Rudnik GER
Stuart’s brother Gary Jess defended the family name by flooring Rene Rudnik in the last round of a scheduled three rounder. Having lost the first two rounds Gary went undefeated in Germany and scrapped home a draw.

Light middleweight 72kg
Steve Kidd NI vs. Oleg Kehl GER (Winner Points)
Shankill man Stevie Kidd was unfortunate in his first international outing as he lost a unanimous decision to Oleh Kehl.

Middleweight 73kg
Wayne McCormick Winner PointsNI vs Sandro Constantinesco GER
South Belfast’s Wayne McCormick received a yellow card by the referee after sticking his tongue out at his opponent. The 22 year old was mixed up in a bit of argy-bargey with German Sandro Constantinesco and retaliated with a childish prank. McCormick was later fined 25 Euro by the WKN representative, his coach said “Wayne was very embarrassed about the prank and apologised so many times; he got carried away in the moment.”
The talented engineer got the green light at the end of the match on all the three judges’ cards as he outclassed Constantinesco.

Middleweight 74kg
Barrie Oliver (Winner Points) NI vs. Juri Lebasck GER
It was a hat trick for Killinchy kickboxer Barrie Oliver when he made it three wins out of three. The young up-n-coming star is looking forward ot his next outing at the Park Avenue hotel.

“This was a well organised WKN event and was very close and could have easily swung in our favour. This was a young team that we took to Germany and it will only serve the boys well and give them some experience in big international matches for the future. It’s onward and upward, our next outing is in four weeks time at the Park Avenue hotel we have a smashing fight card lined up with three top Italians and five Swiss fighters.” Said Murray

The Northern Irish team where well received by the German fight fans and were made to feel extremely welcome. A big thanks to Wolfgang Gier and all his team. Just one disapointment in the whole trip, Wolfgang didn't organise any Applestrudel for the team!

WKN International judge : M. Robert MASTERSON
Ye who claims to be in a Monogamous relationship

WKN International promoter : KWAN GYM
WKN International supervisor : M. Wolfgang GIER

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