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MIKE REID
We are featuring a brief interview with
F.F.K.A. World Middleweight Kickboxing Champion Mike Reid. Turns out it was not an easy
task. Mike is as evasive out of the ring as he is within. He dodged and parried our
pointed attacks until finally we had him against the ropes. Technologically speaking that
is - this interview was done via email (well we had to get to him somehow!).
Can you give us a brief bio on
yourself? - Birth date, where born, you know, generic stuff.
I was born July 10, 1965 in Whakatane, New Zealand. I arrived in Canada at the age of 3. I
lived in Alberta during the first decade of my life, then
spent my second decade in British Columbia. I moved to Toronto in 1986 and joined the Twin
Dragon club before I even established a place of residence.
 When did you first become interested in the martial
arts?
I started martial arts training in 1983.
What led to your involvement in
kickboxing?
I wanted to be a strong fighter.
Do you have a background in another form?
I practiced a few styles under a couple of teachers in Victoria, B.C. Even
if I could remember the form names, my recollection is vague enough to render me incapable
of describing their differences.
How did your kickboxing training differ
from this previous experience?
Kickboxing training was far more difficult than anything I had done before
but, most importantly, I was given a realistic picture of my fighting
ability.
 Was it difficult to make the transition from training to actual
full contact
fighting?
No, my desire to become a professional fighter surpassed any hurdles. In
fact, I find it difficult to train at all without some overwhelming reason
such as fear of losing a pending fight.
How did you overcome the fear? Or was
there a fear?
I figure every sportsman has a fear of losing. In the minutes before any
event, and those are the worst let me tell you, I would bury my fears by
telling myself that I am about to enter just another sparring session.
Can you give a brief description of
your training methods?
When I started, most of my time was spent experimenting to find what works best for me.
Once my basic style was set I worked primarily on conditioning and fighting tactics. To do
the latter, I cycled through sets of attack sequences either free form or against a heavy
bag. Sparring sessions were tests to reveal mistakes in my methods.
Can you list your fight history?
Not accurately. I figure I have 19 wins vs 9 losses vs 1 draw.
 Any memorable moments?
I liked the road trips through Quebec, New York state and Michigan circa 1990 to and from
my first fights.
(Amateur Kickboxing is not legal in
Ontario so fighters must travel to other provinces or to the US to gain experience. ed.
note)
Any tips or words of advice to up and
comers?
One must allocate a large piece of one's life for training to be a
professional fighter. Weigh the fact that there is only one chance in a
lifetime to do it against the fact that kickboxers don't retire at an old
age. |
