I tend to find that many 'traditional martial artist' view Western Boxing more as a sport than a method of self-defense. Millions of westerners have spent thousands of dollars in Asian martial arts in the hope that they will find the ultimate method of fighting. The irony is that in their very own backyard, down the road at their local YMCA, for a few Dollars a month can be found probably one of the best forms of fighting ever to be developed.

The other night I was talking to some of my students about the correct technique and developing power in their punches. Out of this discussion I pointed out that the way you deliver the technique is important but I also discussed the feeling you get when it is right. I mentioned that I just know when a jab was good or a combination; likewise I could just feel when it was bad.

I was in the process of writing an article on the "Street vs. Sport debate" for my column. As I began I remembered the article I had read written by my Coach Matt Thornton. After reading it again, I realized that why re-write something that had already been said so well. So I have decided to publish it for all of those who have not read it.

People training against opponents who don’t resist back, doing forms against imaginary opponents, movements that are so fanciful that they relate more to dance than fighting, punching with your hand on your hip, mystical chi, and of course the deadly Death Touch!

One of the things that I notice all the time when training is that when you train alive and you're whole routine is geared towards performance; you begin to realize that it is a roller coaster ride. Your performance is never the same from day to day. On one day you can wrestle, box and do MMA with a group of training partners and feel that you dominated every aspect of each event, just to find a few days later doing the exact same routine that the whole thing has been reversed.

Additional Matches:
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic over Shungo Oyama KO Rd 1
Takashi Sugiura over Paulo Cesar “Giant” Silva TKO Rd 1
Ikuhisa Minowa over Kenichi Yamamoto TKO Rd 1