Joy for Jimmy with title triumph

Jimmy Killick was crowned IKF Southern Area Light Heavyweight kickboxing champion after a memorable and gruelling encounter at Tiger Hart Promotions’ Pantheon 5 - Requiem show.

Killick dominated his opponent Nathan Emery, from Unique Gym in Chatham, in the first round. Emery came out strongly in the second, but again Killick was ahead on the scorecards.

In the third Killick took a heavy right hand that should have put him down, but he came back with an onslaught that Emery could do nothing but defend against.

Emery landed some fantastic combinations in the fourth, while Killick worked the body with sheer power. Both fighters looked tired, but pushed right to the end of the fifth round before Killick won on a split decision.

Fighting Tigers’ Ben Mitchell lost a split decision in a cadet K1 bout to Declan Cull, from Poole Thai. Guy Sampson was in K1 action on his debut for the club, but a toe-to-toe battle against Chris Bowers, from Wado Dragons in Wales, ended after Sampson took an eight count in the third.

Mike Burman had to withdraw from his third K1 bout due to a dislocated shoulder against Essex Kickboxing’s Tommy Chaplin, but Glenn Hitchman picked up a dominant win over Dave Coyne, from 1st Strike in Worthing, on his white collar boxing debut.

Sam Squires came up the weights to 67kg and forced opponent Robin McCoy to take a standing eight count en route to earning a majority decision. For more information on the club, visit www.fightingtigers.co.uk