Submitted

The IKF East Coast Muay Thai Kickboxing Tournament has come and gone and Dillon County residents got a chance to witness a new form of competition and sports entertainment displayed by fighters on showcase in a boxing ring over a three day period. Fighters, their family, and friends gathered on the South of the Border property to enjoy a weekend of full and semi contact Kickboxing Action!

The event was a success reports Johnny “Superfoot” Davis, President of AK Promotions and owner of Superfoot Fitness Club in Dillon. “I think this event signaled a new era for the sport of Kickboxing on the Southeast Coast. It is clear that not only do we have talented fighters but we have a ton of fans that really enjoy the sport of Kickboxing. It is our plan to continue to bring exciting events to North and South Carolina.”

The fact that fighters traveled from areas like Costa Rica, The Bahamas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania, shows that not only does AK Promotions and its past promotions have the attention of the worldwide Kickboxing community but also that Kickboxers really want to compete in top notched evens, no matter how much it takes.

A local fighter who competed in the full contact portion of the event, twelve year old Gage Bazemore of Rowland, NC, lost his debut bout against Cole Nelson of Simpsonville by Decision.

“He fought bravely for the first time out there and deserves a lot of praise for stepping up to the plate on short notice to take the fight,” says Davis, his trainer.

However, others competing in the IKF Point Kickboxing semi contact division won second place, including Ka’deem Hamilton, D.J. Davis, Ken Barnes, and six-year-old Austin Beasley and eight-year-old Jarret Wright. The only girl competitor from the local club was Dana Garcia who also took second place.

First Place winners in their divisions included Mr. Patrick Oxendine of Rowland, NC; Eric Madison; Prince Lewis; and Jon Corious Wilson, all of Dillon.

The IKF East Coast Kickboxing Classic is planning to return to the area in October 2014. However, they are not sure about the location as other venues are contacting AKP about bringing the event there. Until then, start looking for some great Kickboxing events in the area.

More information on the event can be found online at www.IKFKickboxing.com and www.AKPromotions.org or by contacting Johnny Davis at (843)773-1005.