Kickboxing champion and Owasso resident headlines Friday fight card

BY KEVIN HENRY World Correspondent
Friday, February 01, 2013
2/04/13 at 6:00 PM

Once consistently featured on ESPN, the sport of kickboxing has taken a backseat in the eyes of the public in recent years. Now, thanks in part to the rise of mixed martial arts and talented kickboxers such as Owasso's Randy "Boom Boom" Blake, the sport may be on the cusp of returning to its days of glory.

Blake, the current International Sport Karate Association (ISKA) World Champion, will be one of eight fighters competing in Friday night's card at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Casino. The winner of the night's eight-man single-elimination light heavyweight tournament will earn $20,000 and a one-year contract with GLORY, a new kickboxing league.

This will be the first tournament-style fight for Blake, who enters Friday night's contests with a record of 25-1, including 17 knockouts.

"It has definitely changed my preparation and training," he said. "The main thing for me is to avoid bumps and bruises in the first fight. You can't have injuries early on in the night. I'm very confident and I'm in the best shape of my life. I'm ready to put on a show for my hometown fans."

Former kickboxing champion Dale "Apollo" Cook serves as Blake's trainer and is excited to see the Road to GLORY tournament as a part of Friday's Xtreme Fight Night 11 card.

"My biggest piece of advice to him has been to not throw reckless kicks early in the match. No one wants to injure themselves early, so I think you'll see many of the fighters being selective with their power kicks early," Cook said. "This tournament format will bring a lot of drama and excitement. At the end of the night, the two best guys will have already won two matches and will be facing off for the title. This is a format that hasn't been seen around Tulsa in a decade, so it will be very exciting."

Part of Cook's excitement also comes from watching Blake evolve as a fighter and become one of the faces of the sport's resurgence.

"I've seen this sport evolve multiple times. It had its heyday early in my career, but things are different now," Cook said. "I think the rise of the UFC has increased the fan base for combat sports and has made combat sports mainstream. This is combat sports in its most simple form ... two guys standing up and duking it out."

With his blend of power and speed, Blake has made a name for himself around the world. One media outlet dubbed him as "the great American kickboxing hope," and Blake seems ready to push the sport forward.

"I don't really see being called that as pressure, but really as an opportunity," Blake said. "When I step into the ring, I want to be a role model and be a positive influence. When people think of kickboxing, I want them to think of Randy Blake. This is a great opportunity for me and I want to take advantage of it." Original Print Headline: Kickboxing champ headlines fight card

Xtreme Fight Night

8 p.m. Friday

The Joint at Hard Rock Casino

For more: tulsaworld.com/hardrockcasino

Associated Images:

Owasso kickboxer Randy Blake works out at Apollo Martial Arts Center on Wednesday. Blake will compete in an eight-man single-elimination tournament for $20,000 and a one-year contract with a kickboxing league. CORY YOUNG/Tulsa World

Randy Blake, a kickboxing champion from Owasso, assists Ajay Kilambi, 9, and other children in a martial arts class at Apollo Martial Arts Center. CORY YOUNG/Tulsa World

Randy Blake, a kickboxing champion from Owasso, assists Marissa Evans, 10, and other children, in a martial arts class at Apollo Martial Arts Center. CORY YOUNG/Tulsa World