Kickboxers set for fight in Kimbe

EIGHT Papua New Guinean kickboxers, including World Kickboxing Federation (WKF) International K-1 champion Jessy Gonopa, are set to fight in WKF-sanctioned title fights in Kimbe, West New Britain, in February.
The Oceania and Papua New Guinea Kickboxing Federation will facilitate the event after WKF president Fritz Exenberger gave the approval from Vienna, Austria.
PNG Kickboxing Federation president Stanley Nandex said Exenberger’s support was encouraging for the country.
“This opportunity will see PNG compete on the world stage. It is a huge opportunity too for youths doing nothing. They now have something to look forward to achieving,” he said. “We will also see Gonopa face a European fighter for the intercontinental title.”
Nandex said the event would see the PNG fighters who were selected for the world championships in Cairo, Egypt, next October.
The championships are expected to attract more than 4,000 fighters from 89 countries. Nandex said the two-day Kimbe event would see the top-three fighters from each provinces competing for top spot to represent the country at the championships.
“For such international event it will take more than a month to ensure that funding are in and things are in order,” he said.
The PNG kickboxing legend thanked West New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel pledging K50,000 towards the event.
Nandex also thanked others sponsors who had already been part of the preparations. He said he was looking forward to working with them to host the event.
Kimbe Kickboxing Association president and New Guinea Islands Kickboxing director Stanis Maela said his fighters had been training since last month and would continue preparing for the challenge.
“Out of the top-10 fighters in camp, two of them will compete for the international title,” he said.
“The whole province would like to see their own fighters facing international opponents on home soil.”