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I watched this last night and knew that Sensei Mark participated in the tournament. I got to see his 2 fights. The first one was a beautiful jodan mawashigeri, which got an ippon. The 2nd one was a nice win as well.

Sensei Mark, would you be able to tell us more about the tournament? your experience? I would really appreciate it! osu

[Sensei Mark]

Osu Fire, Thanx for the kind words. I have found this picture taken of the huge screen which replayed fights of the ko you mentioned.



Hhhmmm, well were do i start with that one. Ok in the middle of 1991 i was having my 5th amature Kickboxing fight on the undercard to Alex Tui and Kash Gills World Middleweight Kickboxing title at the homebush sports stadium and after the bout, (which i lost a very close dec) Shihan Taylor came into my dressing room and announced that i was selected to compete in the World Tournament in Japan, i was so pleased with the news that i was on a high for quite a few days.

After a few days recovery from the tough 5 rounder in sydney, i contacted a friend of mine who has assisted me in my fight/tournament preperations many times and we put together a weight training routine to assist me in putting on some weight and increase my strength as my normal weight is around 72kgs, so skip forward 4 months and i am 77kgs and superfit and i am on the plane to Tokyo.

The Australian contingent arrived at Narita airport and were greeted by officials and we made our way into some buses and headed into Tokyo City, what a blast to actually be in the land of the rising sun and home of Japanese Kyokushin Karate.

All the fighters arrived at a huge building with a very large hall (not sure of where) which had 100's of seat's in lines, and our names on them, we sat and listen to all of the protocal and were told to leave our Gi's on our seats in which we were confused as to "why" we were to leave our gi's their, but we found out later that it was so the Kyokushin Kanji on "all" of the gi's were to be covered over with some material, because traditionally Kyokushin World Tournaments are open and as such styles logo's etc are genrally covered, but its pretty much easy to still see who trains in what etc.

Off to the weigh in, and this was crazy, here i am little me, and i am standing in a long hallway lined up to hit the scales, Michael Thonpson, Andy Hug, Kenji Madori, Kurasawa, Jeffry Cebakulu, Fihlio, you name it were their and to be in the same tournament with guys who i have idolised and many of whom have inspired my karate training for many years was exciting and scary at the same time, so you can only imagine the adrenaline dump i got when i spoke to some of them.

I still remember finally hearing my name called "Mark TYson" and in 1991 Mike Tyson was knocking everyone out and being my name is nearly the same as his as well as the fact that i am dark and a fighter prompted someone to state out loud " oh a little Mike Tyson" to which everyone laughed and no doubt lightened the mood in the air as the eyeballing from nearly every fighter was a testament to them (and me) realising the company in which we were in.

77kgs, sweet!

We then headed off to Sosai Oyama's dojo in Ikibakuru (spelling unsure) and as we walked along we came to the dojo, what suprised me was it was smaller than i had thought, but it has 3 levels and we all crammed into the dojo to be filled in on what would take place on the 1st day of the tournement (tommorow).

If anyone who has ever walked in the old honbu dojo barefoot will agree, the floor is smoother than any dojo or wooden floor that they have ever walked on, it has been sanded down and smoothed by 1000's and 1000's and years and years of idogeko, i cant really describe the feel other than that, but it sticks in my memory because of this fact.

That night, a few of us went out to dinner, Sam Greco, Andrew Sardelis, Keith Bosler Judd Reid and myself found ourselves in a Italian Restaurant with a Japanese Chef, very weird, as we all finished our meal with 5 kilo's of ice cream , ahhh the benefits of a no weight tournament eh!

Now her is the stuff you enquired about,

Here we are 100's of us, fighters, officials, friends etc at 7am in the freezing cold with a winter wind standing outside the Venue,"Freeeezing" and the British Bus pulls up and the fighters all pile out, i couldn't believe what i saw next,

Michael Thompson walks off the bus with the GB Team into the cold air/wind and looks around and he says "Where are the Japanese Team?" well when he realised that the Japanese Team was not undergoing the conditions that everyone else was, he headed straight over the the front doors of the venue (which was locked) and pounded on the door, after a short while, IKO officials came to see what the rukas was about, and the super experienced and very knowledgable MIchael Thompson starts going off at them because of the weather we were expected to endure and yet the Japanese Fighters were not also doing so, he was very pissed off!

Next thing you know everyone was let in.. Osu Thank you Shihan Thompson!

He showed me and many others that one must not be intimidated, even by the Japanese.

He was also playing the mind games!

So gi up and have a light stretch was the next thing to do, we found our changing areas and all changed and warmed ourselves up as well as doing the rituals and superstitions that all fighters do when they are mentally preping before the day.

We enter the arena in lines, and acknowledge Sosai Oyama as we walk past, this was the 3rd time i had seen Sosai as well as meeting him and shaking his hand on two other occassions but the rush was still their when i saw him.

1st Fight, i was up againsted an opponent from Fiji who was actually a former Australian and he pressured me right from the get go, after a short while he stepped in and louded his combination, but luckily the right mawashi geri shot up and i downed him and knocked him out for a good ippon.

My KO of this opponent was actually the very 1st clean knockout of the 1991 Worlds.

2nd Fight, I think my opponent was from Costa Rica, and he was about the same size as myself, we wacked into each other for a short while and i do not know why, but he made the mistake of suddenly beating his chest and saying "come on" type comments, mate, i just saw red, i just remember smashing in low kick after low kick really hard and he eventually dropped.

Day 1 over, 2 fights 2 wins by stopping my opponents before time, and i am exhausted,

Day 2, straight into the venue, warm up and review in my mind my next opponent "Desilver from Brazil"

Interesting fight, as my mind was only really their 85% of the time, both of us stood pretty much toe to toe the entire first round, i remember catching him with a fast right leg jodan mawashi in close which he did not see, but it was not hard enough to down him.

Extention!

3 mins later, and Desilver was awarded the win, i learned much from this fight.

All in all the 1991 World Tournament is burned into my brain, being 20 ft away from seeing Sosai's last Kata Demonstration, being even less when Fihlio knocked out Andy, hearing the power low kicks of Kurasawa, watching the sped of Kenji Madori, or seeing the awesome footwork "live" of Michael Thompson after so many years of adding some of his style to my own.

Sitting down and having a chat to Admire Decosta as well as getting a lobster of Andy Hug at dinner because he did not like the look of them.

Standing next to the Russian Team and looking like a little kid,

So many memories!

Thank you for allowing me to float back in time!

It was good....

Let me know if you would like a rundown on the 1992 Singapore Open!
ie: Japanese Team & Australian Team in 5 Star Hotel in 1 room, drinking, singing, joking, till 5am, included Matsui, Madori, Greco, Gary Oneil etc, etc, etc.....

[ibuki]

Originally Posted by Sensei Mark

Let me know if you would like a rundown on the 1992 Singapore Open!
ie: Japanese Team & Australian Team in 5 Star Hotel in 1 room, drinking, singing, joking, till 5am, included Matsui, Madori, Greco, Gary Oneil etc, etc, etc.....

OSU Sensei,
This was an amazing post. One of the best if not the ONE that I have ever ead Wonderful experience. Please tell us about Singapoore open and emphasize on the hotel room and the party... Kyokushin is Kyokushin but a aprty with Midori and Matsui Kancho...that's really unique!
OSU!

ps This post for the 5th World Tournament should win the K4L prize!!!!
OSU!

[Aunty Ichigeki]

I agree! The little details made it so imaginable! Great post.

Niiice website too! The pages for the kids are a great idea & the style of your profiles are way better than the norm.
Thank you.
Osu.

[veeevek]

OSU sensei mark...it was really nice reading your experience...yes do post about the '92 singapore open too...OSU

Sensei Mark, that was a great post!!! Thank you and you are my inspiration! osu

I would like to hear more as well as what Gary Oneil sensei is doing right now..

[Kurisu]

Great story Mark, thanks for sharing that.

Were your kickboxing matches pro or am?

[Sensei Mark]

Osu Kurisu,

My first 10 fights were amature, 3 Muay Thai and 3 KIckboxing.

My first Pro fight came in 1993, I got a call from Tarik Solak who is a major promotional player here in Australia on a wednsday night around 7pm saying he needed a fighter to replace a german fighter in Japan who was having troubles with his visa getting their.

I thought, wow here i am being offered a fight in Muay Thai in Tokyo.

Tarik then said, "we need a welterweight to fight this friday night"

"what i thought" thats only 48hrs away, but even in my mind it was still possible, now here's the kicker:

As i am talking to Tarik i am standing on my scales, Tarik then tells me he needs me to be at 66.9kgs "max" i say no problem, but what i am looking at is the scales reading 73.5kgs, no way was i going to miss this opportunity to fight in Japan under Muay Thai rules.

So after negotiating my purse with Tarik and getting all the details off him, i hung up the phone and stood their with my head spinning.

Well i thought, i have had over 80 odd knockdown Kyokushin bouts as well as the 10 ring fights to date, and i have been successfull in 85% of them, so no doubt i have a good knowledge of training, sweating and dropping weight.

So i pull on a jumper or two that night, being very warm in December of that year made for torturious training with a 10km jog, and the heat over the few sessions i had been able to do before we flew out of Sydneywas very difficult but assisting me in sweating down, its friday morning and i am about to step on the plane, i am 68kgs and i feel fine.

We arrive and are greeted at the airport with a Japanese gentleman holding a sign saying "Mark Tyson" well imaging the suprise on the surrounding peoples faces to see little old me walk up and greet this guy, very funny.

On the way we stopped in Bali and i hooked up with NZ Welterweight Muay Thai Champion named Denver Mathews who was also taking another fight on short notice and it was good to have his company, we shared a room together and were able to assist each other where we could.

We arrive at a Gym in Tokyo and hit the scales, i am 67.5 , after a quick run and skip, i am down to fighting weight at 66.9, and contracts are signed by all parties.

Tarik and i are now in the basement of what to us looks like a Gulag Dungeon, the walls were cement, chips, damp, and worst of all "Freezing Cold"
Tarik wraps my hands and we go though our warm ups on the pads, stretch out and basicaly try to keep warm.

Now heres one of the mind games they then forced me to endure, they called me out into a freezing hallway for over 20 mins while my feel and toes began to go numb, i was only standing on a towel we had because the cement floor felt like ice, and then they called my name, as i walk down the hall and up the stairs i happen to go past my opponents room (He was a Thai, named Bowie) and his room had wall to wall carpet, 6 heat lamps, massage table, and all the extra's. "Lucky Bugger".

Anayway, skip to the fight, an even 2 rounds for us both until round 3 when he went to knee me and his knee bounced off my chest and split my right eye, he then hit me with a very hard southpaw round kick to my backleg as i was in the corner which was to much for me to contunue, very tough bout, very strong opponent.

Well, i go get my cheque, and thats how i had my very first paying professional bout.

The Singapore stuff will be added to the forum soon, i thought i would just answer this one first, i hope its not too long.

[Kurisu]

Osu Mark!

Thanks for sharing again, that was another great story. I'll have to come visit you next time I'm in NSW

So, my question to you is how did you manage to fight pro and "get away" with it? I know a lot of karateka have been kicked out of the IKO for fighting for money.

[RASor]

Osu Sensei Mark,

Great experience you have gone through.

The 5th World Tournament! I could only imagine the thrill and excitement to be one in the audience. Being a fighter in the tournament, that is an exceptional experience - extraordinary to say the least.

Imagine being in the ring with the best of the best, before our Great Sosai Masutatsu Oyama. Showing your technique, having Sosai view it in actual Kumite! Sosai Mas Oyama saw you fight with other world class fighters and that memory remains with him.

Reading your experience was like reliving the past, your past, your experience. No one could take that away from you and your sharing that with us, with me, I will always be grateful.

At our honbu the members have always been inspired by the 5th World Tournament often we keep playing the DVD, which our Sensei bought from Japan. It may not be the full Tournament, it covers the Best 30 Fights. Sad though it is in Japanese so we could not read the names. But definitely so many of us get charged up just watching the fights.

Kindly share more of your experiences especially on your mental frame of mind when preparing for those fights. I have learned much from your sharing Sensei Mark. Thank you.

Osu!

[Sensei Mark]

Originally Posted by Kurisu

Osu Mark!

Thanks for sharing again, that was another great story. I'll have to come visit you next time I'm in NSW

So, my question to you is how did you manage to fight pro and "get away" with it? I know a lot of karateka have been kicked out of the IKO for fighting for money.

Osu, No problem, drop in to the Tamworth Dojo anytime, you are most welcome.

With regards to the Kyokushin vs $ thing, i was fortunate as my fights were no where near the level of exposure that started with K-1 and the "top" Kyokushin fighters at the time, i was just a small fry in the big schemes of things i guess.

[nzproud]

Sensei Mark, in your career have you fought any big names? I too wonder what Sensei Garry Oneil is doing these days. Osu!

[Kurisu]

Osu Mark,

I guess sometimes it is a good thing to keep a low profile. I think it's a natural progression for certain fighters to go from the tournament circuit to a pro fighter status. In my opinion, if a fighter is ready they should be able to reap some financial rewards from their years of hard work. Plus, it puts Kyokushin out there.

Thanks again for all the great stories. I look forward to reading more.

[Sensei Mark]

Originally Posted by nzproud

Sensei Mark, in your career have you fought any big names? I too wonder what Sensei Garry Oneil is doing these days. Osu!

Osu nzproud, i have been very fortunate in my former fight carrer to have had the chance to face and compete against many skillfull opponents be it in Kyokushin or Kickboxing.

I have competed in 16 State and 11 National Knockdown tournaments, all under the Australian Kyokushin Karate Banner. I have also had 30+ fights in Kickboxing and Muay Thai, so to save time i will just add a list of fighters who some may know or i feel deserve to be in this personal list.(list does not include fighters defeated through the rounds)

1987 - Wayne Hinchin 1987 Aust Lightweight Champion (my 1st National Tournament)
1988 - Milosh Ivanovich, 3 time Aust Lightweight Champion, walked around at 80 kgs so he was a huge lightweight come scales time.
1989 - Steve Humphries, NZ Kyokushin Champion, (Super Tough) KO him with oshiro mawashi geri in extention of the Trans Tasman Cup Challenge in Wellington , NZ
1990, Nick Javansavic, Quater Finals Aust Championships, 1 extention, but he was super tough.
1991, Gary Oneil, Lost decision after extention, good fight.
1991 - John Pavel, Aust Champion, one of the hardest kickers i ever felt!
1992 - Paul Dingle - 1992 Aust Lightweight Champion, i was runner up. after 2 extensions (i think)
1992 Singapore Open, Ko'ed Belgum Champion with Oshiro Mawashi Geri, so pleased to look at Sosai and he gives me a nod and a smile which was a very personal moment, as the great man had acknowledged my karate, and this i will never forget.
1995- Peter Foster, Ring Karate Fight, Aust Champinship, we had a personal rivalry as he was a kickboxing and budokan champion and i was a kickboxing and kyokushin champion, so we settled in in a ring karate fight, lets just say that, Low Kicks won the day!

KB & MT

Marcus Madog Mangun - World WKA, ISKA, WMTC Champion - i fought him twice.
Dale "The Diamond" Westerman, ISKA, World Champion
Danial Dawson, World Muay Thai Champ & Former Aust Boxing Champion, i fought him twice also
John Conway - ISKA South Pacific Muay Thai Championship
Jo Jo Ankajas - ISKA South Pacific Muay Thai Championship, lighter weight
Tony Hill - QLD, Aust and World Muay Thai Champion
Robert Kelly, Australian WKA Kickboxing Championship
Denver Mathews, NZ Welterweight Champion, Ko'ed him with body punch's
Dale Richards - QLD and Aust Kickboxing Championship
Bowie - Muay Thai fighter trained out of Japan - Ouch!
Glen Baragry - ISKA World Kickboxing Champion, fought him 2 times in Kickboxing and lost to him too times, i also fought him in Ring Karate under Kyokushin rules and revenge was sweet. Knockdown with Oshiro Mawashi Geri
Vince Parks, NZ and South Pacific Kickboxing Champion
Peter Brindhouse - Aust and South Pacific ISKA Championship
John Conway, WKA Australian Championship, x 2, i broke Johns jaw with Oshiro Mawashi Geri

Their are no doubt some i have forgotten, but these guys and these fights stick in my mind as the most memorable in terms of the quality of opposition, some i won some i lost, but much experience was gained.

[Sensei Mark]

Osu Rasor,

"Kindly share more of your experiences especially on your mental frame of mind when preparing for those fights. I have learned much from your sharing Sensei Mark. Thank you."

Thank you for even asking.

As we all know the mental approach to anything demanding or of value needs to be considered when one studies the art of karate-do.

Budo Kyokushin more so because of its attitude to the knockdown style of combat.

As Sosai has stated "The Secret is Sweat!" the one who steadfastly plods along daily and consistantly in their classes, night after night, increasing their percerverance and mental toughness.

The more one tends to allows themselves to be pushed in training and allow themselves to experience the "suffering" of their training will benefit them greatly.

Its an attitude, like if one thinks of "taking the stairs" and not the "lift" mentality.

Over time all these little tests add to the mental toughness of the fighter and in time this attitude becomes a part of their style so too speak.

What i have seen and know even from myself is that:

Its the mental bagage we all have in our heads which affects our performance in the fighting arena, the less bagage you have the less rubbish your head try's to throw at you in the moments before you fight.

If you know in your heart that you have done your best preperation possible, and you have sacraficed and suffered in your preperation for this event, then 99 times out of 100 you will fight well regardless of the outcome, as the little demons have no place to go when they try to enter your head.

However, if in your heart and mind you know that you did not do this or that or your personal or family issues are pressuring you then most of the time the fighter will lose because of focus problems such as the demons which "all" fighters know getting to them.

How many times have we seen fighters warming up in the chanrooms out back looking like absolute contenders only to see them walk to the mats and to some (even themselves) it looks like they are suddenly walking to the gallows.

The test is when the fighter enters the fighting arena, their attitide can go one way and in a split second can go the other. Excessive mental Bagage affects us all but on different levels depending on the spirit and charector of the person.

The point here is:

Train hard
Never make excuses for not doing so
Love & Respect your family
Show Kindness to those that seek your attention
Speak kindly of all others
Show Respect to all you meet
Never be greedy, sly or of this attitude

Now when a fighter has this attitude to their lives, their spirit or karma is positive, they have no fear of the outcome and will be satisfied with their efforts because they know that they could have done no more.

I have seen on so many occassions that the best fighters, tend to be able to stay relaxed, allow their mind to take on the pressures of competition and yet perform and the highest level regardless of any personal probs thay may have.

Their is no need at this level to look like a pumped up maniac ready to tear anyones head off, as this is just "fronting", the fighter who has this sort of attitude is only snorting and grunting because this is what they feel gives them strength, but as we all have seen the best fighters are generally quiet, unreserved, quiet in speech with lowered heads.

This is pretty much a general personal overview, as their are fighters out their who are so tough, that nothing personal seems to effect them regardless.

They are the "pure warriors" the ones who have no space allocated for second guessing themselves, they are the kyokushin elite, they are our front line warrior defenders who were and still are the "pillars of kyokushinkai".

Kyokushin fighters are modern day samurai, we follow the traditions of those that have come before us and are now obligated and responsible to showcase the "Budo" aspect of our artform.

Mental Toughness is Budo!

[RASor]

Osu Sensei Mark,

Indeed mental toughness is Budo.

Again Sensei you have provided valuable information from insight and experience in achieving the Budo Spirit.

On several occasions amongst us members in the Honbu we feel that before we fight we are mentally and physically prepared and capable of giving our best. However as far as the actual fight goes something gives and falls short of expectation.

It is sad to realize and view on video the fights we engaged in as it appears out of control or worse inferior. We think too much than react accordingly (i.e., based on actual situation). More training, more intensity, by taking the stairs and not the lift in building confidence.

Sacrifice and suffer now rather than bleed and get KO'd later.

I will further intensify my training.

Again I am thankfull for your kindness and wisdom Sensei Mark.

Best wishes. Osu!

[Andy 68]

OSU, Sensei Mark.
A question: you can say me if it is true that in the match between Andy and Filho, Andy was hit from the mawashi of Filho why had felt "jaime" and had been stopped and if is true that Oyama said that the technique of Filho was valid?
From what I know this is the reason why Andy left the kyokyshin and it passed to the Seido. Thanks for the answer. OSU!

[Boz]

Osu Sensei,

I was just wondering if you suffered any major injuries at the 5th World Titles?

I seem to remember somebody inflicting a major injury by flicking you with those tiny wet towels they gave the (non Japanese) competitiors.

Also, I deny completely that I ate any ice-cream that night.

As for the weigh-in, I remember very well 240 fighters all going "Ooh" when your name was read out and all looking your way. It did sound a bit like "Mike Tyson" the way the announcer read it out. But do you remember that huge Swiss team member (140kgs) who looked at you and said "A very LITTLE Mike Tyson"?

Maybe so but you went a lot further in that tournament than he did. I also remember ther eventual winner (Madori) saying a year later that he was very worried about facing you in the next round had you beaten Desilver (and it was so close it could have easily gone your way). A very fine compliment indeed. I would have loved to have watched THAT fight!

All the best Sensei.
Keith

[Sensei Mark]

Osu Sensei Keith,

Long time no see. Good to see you are alive and kicking even if it is not in the karate sense.

Yeah the towels left their marks and i am scarred forever.

You dont mean that ice cream which was served to us in a italian restaurant with a japanese chef? "i didnt eat it either". slurp.

"Dam" if i had made that matchup with Madori, ahh the history books.

I hope all is well. To those that have read my writeup on the 1992 singapore party on another thread should note that "Boz" a former National Knockdown Middleweight Champion was also present at this event and will no doubt have fond memories.

http://kyokushin4life.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1725

He also assisted me in my training as a fellow student at the bondi junction honbu dojo from 84 up untill after the 5th worlds and was a major influence on my karate and for that i say osu!



ahh their you are hiding behind Paul Dingle (1992 National Lightweight Champion)

"IK" = scull

[Boz]

I am not hiding behind Paul Dingle - somebody surgically attached my head to his shoulders - thats how I used to enter the lightweight tournaments without anyone noticing.

My regards to all Sensei Mark!