Well here we are again with the presentation
awards for 2007. Again I have deliberated and taken great
time in choosing my award winners trying to take everything
into account with my decisions.
You must bear in mind that these decisions are based on a
whole year of training or in some cases as long as the student
has been training at the USKA gym.
Before we move onto the Student awards I’d just like
to take a little time to acknowledge and award a few people
who play major roles in making USKA as successful as it is.
The first appreciation award goes to our web site designer
Mrs Julie Brunning who does a great job maintaining and updating
uskakickboxing.com always managing to come up with new ideas
and looks to keep it one of the most popular club martial
arts websites in it’s field.
Updates have been slow lately but that has been down to me
being slow sending information and not Julie.
We are hoping 2008 will be a big year for the website with
many new thing in the pipeline being planned for it.
I and all the students and parents at USKA thank you for your
hard work.
Mrs USKAKICKBOXING.COM……….., Mrs Julie Brunning
The second appreciation award goes to a guy
that works endlessly for the students at the USKA gym in every
way to make them better kick boxers. As well as being an excellent
coach, corner man and gym handy man he also works behind the
scenes to help improve facilities of the gym in ways that
most people here do not even know about.
He played a key role in relieving coaching duties from me
in some of our fighters from the gym’s key fights during
the year one of which was Qasim’s ISKA World title fight
in July.
For that fight he would accompany Qas on his long and gruelling
runs as well as taking time out from his busy work schedule
to take him on the pads and oversee his training in his daytime
training sessions.
He is also very active helping coach the little ninja’s
class which he is passionate about knowing that they are the
future of the sport.
I am very proud to present this award to someone I class as
a good friend and a key player in the success of the USKA
fighters at the gym.
The One and only………..The Mighty………..Sean
Quinn
The first student award now goes to someone
who has shown real improvement and maturity this year in the
gym going from someone that would mess about every time my
back was turned into an bonafide ISKA British Champion.
A slow burner who has been training with me for a fair few
years now has at last started to show his true potential and
what he is capable of.
A very active tournament schedule has at last put him in line
for his first BLCC title shot early in the new year and I'm
sure if he continues the way he is going he has a very good
chance of winning it. He knows it’s all about maintaining
concentration and training hard and with that the rewards
will come.
The winner of this award………………….
‘Nitro’ Noor Muhammed
The next award goes to one of our beginners
who I feel has put in the time and effort on his classes since
rejoining us mid year.
Passing his red belt grade with a respectful mark in September
but more importantly his application and consistency to his
training that will serve him well as he moves through the
grades and into his sparring.
A genuinely nice guy that is a pleasure to teach.
……………………………….........................Mr
Ramzan Amersey Lal
Next a junior fighter who has had a good year
in the ring despite having some ups and down in the consistency
of his training.
After his first ring title fight for the BLCC English title
ended in disappointment losing by majority decision he bounced
back to later to capture the BLCC Midland title and also the
ISKA British title in two really good performances.
He also travelled down to Dundee at two days notice in September
to face the now EFK British Champion Regis Sugden and was
what most people feel hard done by not to get the decision
in that clash.
This guy has all the tools but still is not fully fulfilling
his potential due to a 100% lack of commitment to his training.
It is for me very frustrating knowing I have a potential World
beater training at my gym but one that is reluctant to give
his all to his game.
Hopefully this will change in 2008 and he will show everyone
else what I already know he is capable of.
………………………………...........Mr
Ridwan ‘Rampage’ Khan
Moving on now to one of our new fighters.
This guy has shown excellent commitment to his training making
sure come rain or shine that he is down here putting in his
gym time. When he first started on the boxing classes I thought
to myself that he was going to be a bit of a brawler but with
time he has shown that he has skills to go along with his
aggression that has seen him go unbeaten in his first three
ring light continuous bouts.
He is the kind of guy that will ask questions and always look
for where he is going wrong which accelerates him down his
learning curve and is why I believe we have seen so much improvement
in him over his short time with us.
Again, expecting big things from him in 2008.
……………………………….......Mr
Mushtaq ‘MUSHY’ Younis
Next up a young lady who has also raised her
game this year after a particularly hot cold year in 2006.
As a student moves through the grades more is expected of
them and with this in mind I have been tougher on the assessment
of the senior grades at this presentation.
In this case more focus and commitment to her training has
seen her pick up the British open Championship belt along
side the ISKA British title and she has featured in some of
the USKA light continuous bouts of the year often against
opponents twice her size.
Away from the ring she has just picked up her Brown belt grade
and in the new year moves into what will undoubtedly be the
most important stage of her career so far with black belt
looming and potential title shots around the corner.
……………………………….......Miss
Stacey ‘Shotgun’ Richards
Another one of our junior fighters now who
I believe potentially could be the best of the lot.
One thing is separating this kid from the title belts and
championship glory and that is commitment. Don't get me wrong,
he trains hard (in between causing trouble that is) but has
still not shown me the ‘nothing else matters’
desire apart from training and fighting which is letting his
opponents off lightly and stopping him from truly fulfilling
his potential.
When he gets his act together he is going to be a serious
force to be reckoned with. I really do hope that it will happen
in 2008
The one and only (Thankfully) ……………………..Mr
Harun ‘Hurricane’ Khan
To a fighter now who is fulfilling all his
potential in the ring and then some.
With a style that is well above his years he has tore through
his opposition remaining unbeaten at USKA and having many
respected instructors comment on just how talented this young
man is.
The highlight of his year was winning the WPKC English title
belt in October to add to his British open title belt that
he had won in April.
These I’m sure will be only the first of many title
belt to Insha Allah (God Willing) come his way next year.
I would like to see him dedicate himself to his technical
work the same way he has done to his fighting that will make
him an all round force to be reckoned with right the way up
to the top.
Without doubt one of my favourite fighters to watch………………………….
……………………………….........Mr
Zak ‘Attack’ Rahman
To a fighter now who has had what can only
be described as an amazing year in the ring!
In February storming through the opposition to lift the WAKO
British title in Nottingham. In March lifting the BLCC English
title belt with a second round stoppage over Derby's Musadak
Rizwaan . In April he flew to Hungary to the ISKA European
Championships to lift a bronze medal.
In July he hade his full contact debut winning a unanimous
decision against an opponent two years older than him. In
September he accepted the challenge to fight the Scottish
Champion Paul Keen all the way in Dundee for the EFK British
title and systematically dismantled him winning by second
round stoppage to win his second British title belt. He didn’t
have to wait long for his next British title belt in October
beating former World Champion Sam Allan by unanimous points
decision in front of his home Birmingham crowd and in early
November added his forth British title this time winning the
ISKA title destroying his Welsh opposition with ease. Last
week after yet another opponent failed to show to fight Reiss
he was awarded the BLCC British title making him an unprecedented
five times British Champion and undisputedly the best fighter
at his age and weight in the country. His achievements in
the ring has earned him European title shot in the new year
and one that I believe he will go on to win on his way to
God Willing World Championship glory at the ISKA Championships
in the Czech Republic in August.
The amazing thing is with him is that although we have seen
him improve dramatically we have still not seen the best of
him with still a good 30 - 40% in the tank.
He’s promised me that 2008 is going to be his year,
getting back on the technical classes to work towards his
black belt along side doing what he does best in the ring.
I for one can’t wait.
The Relentless………………………..Mr
Reiss Larvin
Runner up for Kids student of the year now
and we move on to an all rounder who gets involved in everything
that goes on at the USKA gym. As well as a great attendance
record this girl is a testament to hard work and commitment
and has an understanding and recognition of the syllabus that
is second to none. As well as the technical classes and the
grading work she has competed at nearly all the competitions
notching up a respectable amount of success building up a
nice little fight record.
As well as her own personal kickboxing development what separates
her from the rest is her willingness to travel and support
the other USKA fighters irrespective of where they are competing,
She is the ultimate team player and USKA supporter and now
also helps to coach the little ninja’s class on a Wednesday
evening.
Even though she had a busy year with exams and school commitments
it has been business as usual at the gym and you can set your
clock by the time she walks through the door.
The award goes to…………………………..Miss
Megan Kelly.
Runner up in the Adults now with a guy who
consistently year in year out is in or around this position.
He has steadily improved this year showing a physical maturity
that has seen him cruise to three straight full contact wins
all coming by way of KO!
He has also continued his winning run in light continuous
winning the British Ring open Championship, The WAKO British
Championship, The ISKA British Championship and the BLCC British
Championship. That’s an amazing four British titles
all in the same year.
Away from the ring this unassuming guy gets on with business
week in week out in the gym and is always there to help others
which continues to make him one of the most popular members
of the USKA team.
He keeps on with and puts as much effort in to his technical
classes as he always has done and in time that will make him
one of only a few qualified USKA black belts.
Although he is a great fighter this guys biggest and best
feature is his humility, Most fighters lack this quality and
it is one that will take him a long way, not just in martial
arts but life in general.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this
guy is really a pleasure to teach and is a role model that
all the kids at the USKA gym should aspire to be like.
I give you……………………………..Jake
‘Rattlesnake’ Richards!
The big one now and onto the junior USKA student
of the year award.
Ok, I’m not going to try to drag this one out because
I’m sure you guys know already who has won it. Mark
‘The Killer Kicker’ Sedgwick has an appetite for
martial arts that is very rarely seen in someone his age.
His whole life revolves around kickboxing and he is one tracked
in terms of knowing what his goals are and what he needs to
do to achieve them.
He is consistent, trains hard in all aspects of his training
and gives 100% 100% of the time in his pursuit of perfection.
His record speaks for itself with over 30 straight ring victories
and countless titles that has confirmed him as being the number
one fighter at his age and weight in the country.
If I could bottle what this kid has and sell it I would have
a conveyer belt of World champions being churned out of the
USKA gym with him having the perfect DNA to what makes a good
student.
The bad news for everyone else is that unless he wakes up
tomorrow morning and decides he wants to try a different sport
he has set the standard for kids at this club and has his
name preliminary on this award for many years to come.
You want to catch him, you need to raise your game, simple
as that.
USKA kids student of the year 2007 for the second year running
.…………….Mark ‘The Killer
Kicker’ Sedgwick
And now the USKA adult student of the year.
Last year when he won this award and I read out his resume
it took every ones breath away. This year it’s going
to literally knock you out.
2007 was the year of the Dream!
It began in early February with Qasim stepping up to the plate
and destroying Irish Champion Seam Commisky by 3rd round KO
to capture the ISKA Super Lightweight British Championship.
One week later Qasim adds the WAKO version of the title beating
Scottish Champion Ian McDiarmid by unanimous points decision.
In March as a warm up for a European title he knocked out
IFA’s Wam Bam Shammi Rauf in the second round in front
of Wam Bam’s home crowd and then moved on at the start
of April to travel to Hungary and win his second European
light continuous title at the ISKA European Championships
in Sventes.
On his return from Hungary the week after he easily out pointed
late replacement Irish fighter James Dunphy to win the ISKA
Full contact version of the title and then in May consolidated
his status as number one Super lightweight in Europe beating
Portuguese Champion Paulo Relvas by second round body shot
knockout for the Golden belt version of the title.
Being number 1 in Europe Qasim finally gets his shot at a
World title in July taking on French Champion Galaoui Momo
for the ISKA world crown. After a hard fought five rounds
and without doubt the hardest fight of Qasim’s career
so far he was crowned Champion by unanimous decision and at
last he had achieved his goal of becoming a World Champ.
Qasim after winning his World title took a well earned rest
from the ring and as offers were coming in for him to turn
professional it was decided that he would have one more Amateur
fight and go out on a big one facing another current World
Champion in Latvia’s Artur Ahmetov for the unified WPKC
version of the title.
Qasim dominant and impressive over the tough Latvian won a
unanimous decision and becomes a double World Champion and
arguably Britain’s best ever amateur fighter.
Three weeks after his second World title win he makes his
professional debut against Scottish Champion Ronnie Clark
who brought with him to the ring an unbeaten record of 13
fights with most of those wins coming by way of KO. Unfazed
and knowing his ability Qasim rose to the challenge and again
proved his toughness winning a unanimous points decision to
the accolade of many of the countries top fight critics.
In December Qasim climbs through the ropes for his second
Pro fight and takes less than one round to knock out prospect
Davis Kamara with a brutal head kick.
Also in December Qasim found himself with a big feature in
Martial Arts Illustrated and on the front cover of Fighters
Magazine which are the two biggest martial arts publications
for ring sports in the UK.
The Dream remains unbeaten in over 8 years of competition
and is still only just starting out on his journey at 18 years
of age.
Ok, enough about Qasim the fighter, now lets talk about Qasim
the student. Qasim with all his belts and all his fame still
remains one of if not the hardest worker in the gym. His success
has not come easy and he has worked hard and put in the hours
of sweat and toil in the gym to gain his rewards.
He is also a team player and has helped many of the younger
fighters improve not only by providing a source of inspiration
to them but by always being on hand to physically push them
and bring the best out in them.
He has also just started on his journey as a coach and instructor
and hopefully in the new year at some point will be taking
his full black belt and then opening up his own club to pass
on his knowledge.
It is hard to get to the top but even harder to stay there
but Qasim has proved that it is possible if you want it bad
enough.
For the third year running and adult USKA student of the year
2007
.……………Qasim ‘The Dream’
Nisar
USKA students of the year 2007 -
Mark Sedgwick and Qasim Nisar |
