Playstation Experience

Pop Idol judge Dr Fox is usually found handing out abuse to wannabe stars on his top rated TV show.But he was the one running for cover last week when he came up against a team of Belfast kickboxers!Fox was at Earl Courts in London helping promote a new Pop Idol video game when he came face to face with the rising stars of east Belfast’s ProKick Gym.

The ProKickers were putting on exhibition bouts for the thousands of games fans who flocked to the Sony Playstation exhibition. Dr Fox is never usually scared of saying what’s what, but when he saw the lads in action, he was stunned into silence,” said ProKick chief coach Billy Murray. He’d heard we were selected from kickboxers from all over Europe by Sony and wanted to cast a critical eye. He stood for 20 minutes watching with his mouth wide open. He had no complaints.”

“These boys mean business,” said Fox. “If they were singers, I’d say they had a very bright future ahead of them. They have captivating star quality. Besides, I’ve seen how hard they hit. I certainly wouldn’t be putting them down.”

A team of five ProKickers were in London for the event, showing the moves that helped make The Matrix and Lara Crofts movies such massive worldwide hits. Sony release a new kickboxing video game in the Autumn.

“I know we stunned Dr. Fox into silence,” said Murray, “but I’d love to know what sort of effect we would have on Simon Cowell. I’m the nation would love to see him go a few rounds with the ProKick team!”

If Cowell can’t make it to London over the next couple of days, he could see the best of the ProKick team in action in Belfast’s Ulster Hall on September 19.

Then, World Champion Gary Hamilton will attempt to add his name to kickboxing’s hall of fame in a World Featherweight unification fight. He will face Englishman Dave Newbrooke in a bid to take the ISKA (International Sports Kickboxing Association) belt and add it to his WKN (World Kickboxing Network) crown.
Beneath Hamilton on the bill will be a unique winner-takes-all bout which will see eight Irish and UK welterweights clash for a purse of £1000.
And starting the night will be a selection of rising stars of Northern Irish kickboxing featuring the best new talent at the ProKick Gym taking on the best new talent in the North West – all from trainer Paddy Toland’s gym in Derry City.
The event is supported by Belfast City Council and sponsored by Holiday Inn. Tickets are available from the usual outlets and Prokick Gym, priced £10-25 for ringside – Tel: 028 9065 1074 on log onto ProKick.com for all the latest news.

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