Shidokan

The Caribbean Shidokan Foundation will help celebrate 15 years of Shidokan and Kickboxing on the Friendly Island, by hosting the Best of Caribbean World Open Tornament 2006 at the Casino Royale Theatre on Saturday.
The first bell will sound at 7:00PM

Called the Triathlon of Martial Arts, Shidokan is as much an endutrance match as a fight. The main event will pit St. Maarten's Steven Philips against the rest of the world in six grueling rounds of qualifying matches.
The best eight heavyweight division fighters will enter the ring in the elimination portion of the competition for six rounds of action.
The first two rounds of two minutes each, will be devoted to Karate. The second two ropunds, also two minutes, will be reserved for Thai boxing, using 10-ounce gloves.The final two rounds allow grappling with the fighters using 3-fingers 5-ounce gloves.

The finals will consist of the same format, except it will be three rounds of each style.
Up for grabs will be US $ 5,000.--

The main event will pit St. Maarten’s Steven Philips against Arndt “The Rock” Bunk of Germany. Bunk has 45 fights. He has won 43 by knockouts.
Philips was the Shidokan world heavyweight champion in Chicago 2004. He placed third in the World Open Tournament in Chicago 2005 and now returns home in hopes of winning the 2006 title in the Caribbean.
Originally, Philips was scheduled to compete in an 8-fighter pool in the Triathlon of Martial Art Shidokan. The Shidokan tournament was cancelled, thus giving allowing more opportunity for the island’s amateur fighters time in the ring. Philips will face The Rock for the WKN European Kickboxing Title in the 96 kilo division.


Ziggy Beatty is just one of the many kickboxers that will be competing in the Best of the Best of the Caribbean 2006 night of fights at Casino Royale Theatre Saturday night.
Beatty, from St. Maarten, is a relatively new fighter. He has five fights and a record of four wins and one loss. He competes in the 68 kilo class and is the St. Maarten 2005 Kickboxing tournament champion in that division. Yet last night, as the fighters weighed in, Beatty showed no signs of nervousness.

When asked which of the World Kickboxing Network Belts he would be fighting for, he shrugged his shoulders and replied: ”I really don’t know.” In fact the entire promotion of the seven-bout card had Beatty a bit confused. Imagine seeing your face in the program and under the picture is the caption “Zeaguy of Holland”. “I was surprised”, said Beatty. He continued, “but it doesn’t bother me”.
Beatty is scheduled to face Michael Germemont of Guadeloupe in a 76 kilo divison WKN Caribbean Kickboxing Amateur Championship match. The bout is scheduled for 4 two-minute rounds.


Thierry Saint Aurey, also of St. Maarten will go up against Stephane Marlin of Guadeloupe in a WKN Caribbean Kickboxing Amateur Championship fight of four 2-minute rounds.