Fighting Chris Wootten at the Circus Tavern
I'm a champion kickboxer and a trainer at KX Gym UK in London.
I was born in Portugal but moved to England when I was eleven. I grew up in the mean streets of Brixton and I was a hell-raising kid! My Mum – bless her heart – decided that someone needed to take me in hand and walked me down to the local dojo. Best thing that ever happened to me. I learnt focus, I learnt respect and instead of simply brawling, I was introduced to disciplined combat.
I stopped fighting professionally in October 2006. My last fight was a rematch against Gabriel Hennion of France for the WKA Light Heavyweight Intercontinental title. After I dominated in every round, Hennion stopped me in the ninth with a roundhouse kick to the head. Nine gruelling rounds with victory clearly in sight and then within the blink of an eye, defeat. But hey, that's how this game works!
WKA Intercontinental fight against Gabriel Hennion
Even though it did not go my way, that fight will be right up there with the performances of which I feel proudest. Not even my European championship win gave me as much satisfaction.
One of my clients is author Natasha Mostert . If you’d like to read what she wrote about my last battle in the ring, please read A Champ's Farewell in my blog.Kicboxing and Martial Arts Achievements2005: WKA European Light heavyweight kickboxing champion
Victory! European WKA Light Heavyweight Champion
Other full contact achievements:
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WKA British Champion Belt
World Kickboxing Union’s English Champion belt
4 Southern Regional Kickboxing belts (WKA and BIKMA)
1999 Became European Champion in the European Martial Arts Tournament
1999 Third in the Hayashi World Martial Arts Championships
Gold and bronze medals in Judo
My teaching styleKX Gym where I teach classes and train clients is an exclusive club with many celebrity members who have careers as movie stars, models and other high profile jobs. However, I am a hardcore trainer and my clients know that when they train with me, they’ll have to dig deep. Many trainers are fairly passive instructors when they teach their clients but I believe in interacting with them fully – sparring, doing the pads, wrestling, whatever it takes. We work hard but we also have fun – as you can guess from looking at some of the pics posted on this site. And you don’t need a swish gym to have a full workout. I can design you an exercise routine you can take with you wherever you’re travelling. Stuck in bad weather in a hotel with no gym? You can still use the beds, the chairs, the door frame, your own body weight.
My Thursday morning Kickboxing class: Tough job!
What else?
Well, way back I would work days as a fitness trainer and DJ at night. Crazy hours and too little sleep interfered with my fighting career so I gave it up. But my passion for music -- and dancing – remains.
I like cigars. I like a really good red wine. And I love food. I was fortunate, I grew up with my Mum owning a delicatessen and Portuguese restaurant. After you’ve had a taste of her suckling pig, that’s it – nothing else will satisfy you. She has retired now, but most Saturdays lunch you can still find me at the old place hanging out with a bunch of Portuguese guys who like to eat well, talk football, politics and how the world turns. And I’m not too bad with the old BBQ myself.
For relaxation I love my Playstation, especially Call of Duty and Navy Seals. And I like gardening. And going to the movies. I have two little Charlie’s Angels in my life: my girls Tatyana and Isabella. They regularly KO their dad, no problem.
KO! Who’s the real heavyweight here?
My fighting home is Cobra Gym run by Tim Izli who trained me over the years. To get me ready for the ring we have knocked the crap out of each other more times than I can remember. I am now involved in training and sparring with some of Cobra’s younger fighters.
My partners in crime: Shen, Tim, Dave and Victor