KARATE KID BOX OFFICE SMASH HIT

(Caption): Dre, played by Jaden Smith, has a hit on his hands...

By Phil Doherty

THE Karate Kid has grossed £37m in the first three days of it release kicking the A-team into second place.

The takings for the North American market means that Jaden's dad Will Smith - who produced the film - has see the faith he had in the project come true.

The Columbia picture, starring Jackie Chan as Dre's martial arts teacher Mr Han, beat the A-Team to second place with £17m and chopped Shrek down to size with the green ogre's Shrek Forever pulling in £9m. 

The rest of the top five flicks included Get Him To The Greek £6m and Killers £5m.

According to reports the Karate Kid appealed to all generations and classes of people.

The story is a remake of the 1980's classic Kararte Kid starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita as the bullied pupil's mentor. 

This time its Chan who is playing the reluctant saviour who teaches Dre martial arts after he moves to China with his mother.

Bullied by pupils from a local martial arts school, Han teaches Dre how to defend himself using unorthodox training methods along the way.

Dre then defeats the main bully in the climatic fight scene at a martial arts tournament.

The film cost £26m to make.

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NEW YORK REJECTS CAGE FIGHTING

CAGE fighting will not be allowed in New York State after Democratic in the state assembly blocked it.

The state had been expected to approve the mixed martial arts shows in a bid to balance its books and the governor had tried to have the sport legitimised .

This followed intense lobbying from the UFC and other independent fight units.

But according to reports the state assembly democrats managed to take out the clause from the budget bill. 

With fights regularly netting authorities around £1.5m from in local tax revenue, it was hoped making them legal in the state would get them off the monetry ropes.

Assemblyman Steven Englebright, a fan of MMA, said: "The majority of the voices who spoke about this issue in our conference were not supportive of approving it as part of the budget."

He added it would be a long time before the Assembly would turn its attention to the topic again, effectively killing off any chance in the foreseeable future.

Across the US 43 states now regulate MMA through state boxing, MMA and other state-sporting commissions which dictate which rules are allowed and oversee strict medical criteria.

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MISS USA KEEPS FIT WITH KICKBOXING


(Caption): Rima Fakih loves kickboxing because it helps keep her in shape

By Phil Doherty
phil.doherty@martialnews.co.uk

UNITED States beauty Rima Fakih keeps trim by kickboxing and dancing, she has revealed.

Rima, who was crown Miss USA 2010 champion in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, on May 16th, says the combat sport helps keep her sizzling bikini body. She also runs and loves to dance to keep in shape.

The 24-year-old is the first muslim woman to ever have won the US competition. Fakih was born in Lebanon but was brought to the States while very young and was brought up in New York before moving to Michigan in 2003.
 
She attended Catholic school as a child and during the competition said her family celebrated both Muslim and Christian faiths.

Not only is Fakih blessed with beauty, she is also a brainbox with a degree each in Economics and also business management. Her ambition is to attend law school.

As Miss Michigan she was tasked with raising awareness for women's self-defence and awareness.



In her new role she will be highlighting breat and ovian cancer, the official charities of
the US pageant.

Rima is also a firm supporter and member of the Pink Fund which raises cash for research into breast cancer.

Fakih will represent the U.S. in the 2010 Miss Universe pageant August 23.

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NIKKI COLLINS WINS WORLD IKF TITLE

IRELAND'S NIkki Collins has won the bantamweight IKF kickboxing world title.

The Galway girl fought in the Rumble In The Bay event held at Leisureland with she outfought Britain's Carla Jessup who lost by a technical knockout in the fourth round.

On paper it should have been Jessup who had the upper hand being current IKF European champion and former IKF World Classic Championships in Orlando, 2008.

But Collins had other ideas and demolished Jessup with leg sweeps, kicks and punches, knocking the British fighter onto the canvas on more than three occasions.

In the fourth round, with Jessup being floored by a barrage of strikes from the hungry Collins, the reference stepped in and stopped the fight.

Cathal Manning made a mandatory defence of his IKF European supermiddleweight title against Rob Burbridge.

Although the fight could have gone either way the judges came down in favour of Manning.

Gary Manogue beat Kayne Nelson to add the IKF All Ireland belt to his collection.

Alex Novac won the IKF All Ireland welterweight title by outpointing a game Chris Coyle from Donegal and 15-years-old Charlie Ward won the IKF All Ireland junior light welterweight title in one of the best fights of the night when he received the nod over Dublin’s Eric Nolan.

Catherine Cullinan took the decision after five hard rounds over Dublin’s Lindsey Doyle to become the IKF All Ireland lightweight champion, while Eric Daly made a successful mandatory defence of his IKF Five Nations super lightweight title against Dee Mc Guinness from PT's gym in Derry.

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INSTRUCTOR ACCUSED OF ABUSE


(Caption): John Durinick - accused of molesting girls


By Martial News Reporter

A TAEKWONDO instructor has been accused of abusing two girls.

John Thomas Durinick, 39, who helped run a Taekwondo Academy in St Cloud, Florida, USA, as been accused of 50 felony charges of lewd and lascivious battery.

He appeared before a judge at the Osceola County Jail where he was ordered held without bail.

He also faces 45 charges of lewd or lascivious molestation and one of false imprisonment. Bail for those was set at $228,000 (£149,365).

According to the police Durinick had inappropriate relationships with two 15-year-old girls over an 18-month period.

The false imprisonment charge stems from accusations he tried to prevent one of the girls from leaving after an incident of abuse.

The only children he is allowed by court order to have any contact with are his own children.

If convicted he could face many years in jail.

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KARATE FIGHTERS RAISE CASH FOR FIRE FAMILY

SOMERS, NEW YORK STATE — A group of martial artists Sunday lent a hand, and even a few feet, to a volunteer firefighter and his family displaced by a fire that burned down their home last month.

Close to 200 competitors entered a karate tournament at the high school that was organized to benefit Somers resident Mike Walsh and his family. On March 6, while Walsh was taking his son William, 11, to practice at the Jim Smith Karate center in Yorktown Heights, a fire burned down their home. No one was injured, but the house was destroyed.

"We just wanted to do something special for them and get the rest of the community to help out," owner Jim Smith said.

Competitors came from as far as Massachusetts and Rhode Island. A raffle was also held to give away a martial arts belt autographed by renowned martial artist and movie star Chuck Norris.

Walsh was in the crowd of about 150 people watching the tournament. "All these people in the community are my extended family," he said. "They made us feel cared for. They housed us, they fed us and they clothed us."

Walsh said the experience motivates him even more to serve the community as a volunteer firefighter.

"This world isn't about material things," he said. "I lost a house, not a home."

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INTERNATIONAL FEMALE MUAY THAI FIGHT IN SAMOA

THE first international Muau Thai fight for females has taken place in Samoa.

The match between Samoan fighter Sophia Rogers against Julliam Muasau from American Samoa took place in April.

Sophia, 16, used kicking and punch combinations while Julliam used her punching skills rather than kicks.

Despite taking a number of punches to her midriff that winded her, its was Sophia that won the bout.

Afterwards she devoted her win to her family who had watched her fight from the ringside.

She said: "Yea, she caught me good at that time but there was no way I was gonna give up. It never entered my mind, I just love the contest."

RESULTS
Muay Thai
Sophia Rogers (Samoa) defeated Julliam Muasau (Am. Samoa)
Jesse Nilon (Samoa) defeated Sancho Niedo III (Am. Samoa)

Amateur: Malaki Savea won vs Nuuuli Liuvai (TKO); Fifita Leituala won vs Ten Malau (points).

Professional: Welterweight Michael Fonoti won vs Lui Auapaau (points);

L Welterweight Tony Iapesa won vs Aleni Ioane (points);

L Middleweight Tauave Tausilenuu won vs Panapa Seve (points);

Middleweight Aukusitino Faafua won vs Uale Leota (TKO);

Heavyweight Saipeti Asiata won vs Sipaia Fouvale (split)

Pro-undercard: S-Middleweight Faimasasa Tavui won vs Iosia Nanai

Main Event: Oli Filimaua won vs Palaialii Ionatana Pula