The biggest kickboxing event in the 17-years history of the Galway Black Dragon Kickboxing Club takes place on Saturday.
The Black Box Theatre will host a world, European and two All Ireland title fights in what will be an historic night for the club.
The IKF professional world light heavyweight title will be fought by Ireland’s Aidan Brooks and one of central Europe’s top fighters, Odje Manda, from Paris.
Brooks, who is managed and promoted by Pete Foley at the Black Dragon International camp in Dublin, is one of Ireland’s most well known K-1 fighters and has won Irish, European and world honours as an amateur. His opponent Odje Manda is a police officer in Paris who is a veteran of more than 90 kickboxing and K-1 fights. He has won several French titles, two European titles, and a World title at a different weight division
It is probably one of Brooks’ toughest challenges to date, and the two will battle it out over a scheduled 10 rounds for the IKF World light heavyweight title under international rules, which also allows kicks to the legs and body. Brooks, however, is also a fearsome puncher and most of his knockout wins have come by way of a savage right cross which have put most of his victims on the canvas.
In other action Black Dragon fighter Leona Trautt from Renmore, who has an impressive 7-0 fight record, will take on the unbeaten Sarah Kiely from Deise Kickboxing Gym in Dungarvan for the IKF Ladies’ All Ireland featherweight title.
James Ward, who is also unbeaten with a 10-0 record - seven of those by knockout - will face Philip Nee from Westside Kickboxing Gym in Athlone for the IKF All Ireland senior flyweight title.
Gary "Slick" Manogue from Castlepark, who also fights out of the Black Dragon camp, will take on French kickboxer Romain Beranger for the IKF super welterweight title of Europe.
Manogue is the current IKF 5 Nations champion, a title which he won by second-round knockout in England in March 2010 before making a successful defence in December 2011.
Manogue recently took on current British champion Dean Petty in Sunderland in a warm-up fight, knocking the English fighter out in round two with a powerful trademark left cross.
The doors open to the public at 6pm and the show is scheduled to kick off at 7pm.
For further information contact Pete Foley 087-8119227.
