The final struggle was bought out: that of Giorgio Petrostyan, the naturalized Italian Armenian kickboxer and Thaiboxer who ended his lengthy profession in November by profitable the title and giving a “boost” to fight sports activities.
What was as soon as “fashion”, which started with conventional martial arts and movies, has immediately change into a ardour wherein sporting exercise and aggressive spirit are additionally linked to different functions similar to bodily well-being. Behind the lights of enormous numbers, with professionals or excessive degree opponents there may be what is known as the “army” of practitioners. The figures regarding Italy communicate of roughly 150 thousand athletes (amateurs and never at all times aggressive) concerned in kickboxing, karate, boxing, savate, Thai boxing, Taekwondo and MMA competitions distributed between federations acknowledged by CONI and sports activities promotion our bodies, in addition to worldwide circuits. «The occasion wherein Giorgio Petrosyan fought – says Massimo Liberati, director of Wako Pro Italia, the worldwide federation whose reference level in Italy is Federkombat – has given a notable enhance this 12 months to the motion which is registering development and an more and more excessive technical degree, even amongst amateurs».
The framework of fight sports activities doesn’t cease solely at main occasions, in Italy there are round 10 galas a 12 months, but additionally consists of different beginner occasions round ten a month promoted by the assorted federations or sports activities promotion our bodies. «At the world junior and cadet Kickboxing championships – provides Liberati who, earlier than being a supervisor, was a full contact competitor and a number of world champion – we had 3 thousand worldwide athletes with representatives from each nation». Data that certifies a restoration after the slowdown of latest years.
«The development recorded is essential, no less than in case you learn the numbers of my federation, Federkombat, now acknowledged by Coni – provides Liberati -, and that is because of all those that commit themselves daily». Because along with the professionals who struggle in main occasions, there are others. «The exercise throughout the sports activities associations is extra flourishing than in earlier years – he provides – furthermore the champions who take part within the main occasions come from amateurism and minor circuits». However, that is not all. For the sports activities supervisor, who up to now was additionally the technical director of the nationwide Full Contact Kickboxing staff, it’s a signal of a change and an openness that has erased the mix of fight sports activities as violent. «Thirty years in the past, discovering youngsters and girls within the health club practising Kickboxing or different fight sports activities was fairly uncommon – he provides – immediately, nonetheless, in case you enter any health club you’ll uncover that 40% of the practitioners are youngsters, 20, 25% are ladies and the rest are males. Kickboxing immediately is a sport and a sporting self-discipline additionally because of the dedication of many masters who’ve made cultural work their very own. Today the lecturers will not be solely instructors of the self-discipline but additionally factors of reference and for the youthful ones additionally educators.” And once the fashion has passed, there remain the athletes who are committed to both competitive and amateur activities without competitions. «That the world has changed and people’s judgment towards these disciplines – adds Liberati – is demonstrated by the fact that our federation has also prepared and trained the coaches who will have to support athletes with disabilities».
The growth, driven by major events and broadcasts on TV, also affects other EU countries where, very often, the practice of martial arts first and then combat sports “has at all times been a customized”. Starting from France the place, by way of variety of members, French savate boxing reigns supreme. Kickboxing comes subsequent with its nuances starting from full contact to K1, as much as MMA, blended martial arts. In Holland, along with Thai boxing, up to now the athletes from the Netherlands have been capable of excel all through the world, the fervour for MMA can also be rising.
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