Kickboxing comes to the Odyssey

It’s gearing up to be a battle of the heavyweights as a team of ProKick kickboxing gladiators head to Belfast’s Odyssey for a rumble with the Belfast Giants ice hockey team.
Fans can see the boys in action on September 13 when the ProKickers will put on a show during the opening Giant’s game of the new season against Coventry Blaze. They will provide pre-match and post-match entertainment.
“This is the first time in European Ice Hockey that anything like this has been attempted,” Jim Graves, Belfast Giants spokesman said. “We’ll have a ring at one end of the auditorium and when it comes time for the fighters, we’ll have dancing girls and a light-show – all the elements of entertainment that fight fans expect. The kickboxing exhibition will keep the fans’ energy levels high heading into the start of each half.”
Graves said he decided to use kick-boxing because he felt there were parallels between it and ice hockey.
Both are certainly contact sports and with both there is mutual respect for the opposition – and occasionally we have fights on the ice!
“Also, I’ve known Prokick founder Billy Murray for a long time. He’s done a lot over the years to put sport in Belfast on the map and has been a great ambassador for the city – so this is a thank you to him too.”
But what of the burning question? Just who would win a fight between the two muscular mights?
“Well, it depends if the ice hockey players were wearing their uniforms and carrying their sticks!” said Graves.

Jason Bowens, a star of the Belfast Giants said: “We’re really looking forward to the kickboxing demonstration at the first home game of the season. Kickboxing is a sport requiring real discipline, speed and agility and the same skills are displayed in the ring or on the rink.”
More similar events combining the two sports haven’t been ruled out for later in the season.
However, on the night, the hockey stars might be called into action to play peacemakers off the ice. Amongst the kickboxing stars attending the exhibition will be eight men who a week later will challenge for a winner-takes-all purse at the Ulster Hall. The fighters, all welterweights, will meet face-to-face for the first time ahead of their September 19 showdown.
“Sparks will fly,” said promoter Billy Murray. “We are going to have all these fighters in town ahead of their fight. I wanted to assemble them so fans in Belfast could get a preview of what to expect. But there has been some needle amongst them already. Each of the eight thinks they are favourites to take a pot of money in the Ulster Hall. They’ve been winding each other up. Kickboxing is all about respect outside of the ring as well as inside it, but when they get together, it could get very heated. It’s supposed to be a showcase master-class for hockey fans, but they could end seeing the real thing.”

The winner-takes-all welterweight clash – which brings together the best of welterweights from all over the UK and Britain – is on the under-card of Belfast man Gary Hamilton’s world unification bout.
Hamilton fights England’s Dave Newcombe in a bid to add Newcombe’s ISKA World featherweight belt to the WKN title he already holds.
Tickets are available from the usual outlets and the Prokick Gym – price 10 – 25. For further details, ring the ProKick Gym on 02890 656414

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