Outstanding results for MKBA members in Challenge Cup

Malta Kickboxing Association (MKBA) members produced an excellent performance in a tournament held in England recently. The team of 10 kickboxers clinched the International Challenge Cup with seven wins out of ten bouts contested.

The tournament, organised by the Martial Arts All Style, was contested by teams from Malta, England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

The Maltese squad was made up of Kancho Adrian Axisa, MKBA founder, chief instructor Noel Mercieca, 10 kickboxers and two aides - Noel Agius and Catherine Zarb.

The kickboxers hailed from two local clubs - the Ying Yang Kickboxing Club and Demis Kickboxing Club. These were: Lucienne Desira, Ruth Tanti, Darren Borg, Reuben Azzopardi, Charles Buttigieg, Jonathan Curmi, Warren Agius, Stephen Cassar, Daniel Zahra and Terence Cilia.

The Challenge bouts were divided in two sections, semi-contact for amateurs, and full contact bouts. The team with the best score from ten bouts was declared the trophy winner.

By the end of the eighth fight, the Maltese had five wins, a draw and two losses. This score was good enough for the MKBA team to claim the trophy at the expense of the British kickboxers.

The highlights of the tournament were the two full contact bouts performed by Zahra and Cilia. All competitors had Axisa and Mercieca assisting them from the corner but for the two final bouts, the Maltese were guided by Silvio Simac, a Martial Arts world champion.

The MKBA is a member of the British National Martial Arts Association, Martial Arts All Styles and World Kickboxing Network. One may obtain more details by visiting www.kanchomalta.com.