King Kabuki

[?/?/?/]

King Kabuki, just curious, are you a trainer or instructor somewhere? An older dude with decades of experience? A pro fighter? I have seen you make a bunch of threads regarding technique, ie closing the gap, the Thai clinch, etc and I'm just curious as to your qualifcations. Not questioning anything you are saying, just wondering what you do that makes you an authority (aside from your status on Sherdog). Would just have PM'ed you, but I figure maybe other people are wondering as well.

 

[Sinister]

Nah, other people have wondered, asked, answered, etc.

I'm no "authority"...nor do I claim to be, I just give opinions. As far as me, right now I'm training at Top Rank's Gym in Las Vegas, under this guy:

Mike McCallum

Here he is taping up my gloves to spar:

I have a background in Muay Thai, as that's what I did all through my teens and early 20's. Mike even spotted it when he started training me about a year ago now. He said "you was a kick-fighta huh?"

As of right now I'm still just a sparring partner, I've worked with Fighters of Jesse Reid, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, and Richie Sandoval. Hoping to make my Pro debut soon, but when exactly is up to Mike.

 

[?/?/?/]

Ok, cool, thanks. Good luck with your pro debut, whenever it happens by the way.

 

[Sinister]

Thanks for the will-wish.

One thing about me, though is I DO watch as much Fighting as humanly possible. Combat Sports are what I love and I can't get enough of them. I watch almost everything, Iron Ring, the WCL, the shit ones no one likes but TRUE Combat Sports nerds.

As a result I do tend to have a lot of opinions. However I've come to value my knowledge of the game, as relevant as it may be, and yet everything I still have to learn. I'm still a baby where Boxing is concerned, and at the Gym I often get treated like it.

 

[stormy]

I knew you were training to go pro in boxing, I did not know you had a muay thai background.

King Kabuki, I have a few questions in light of this information.

What made you transition over to boxing from muay thai? What has been the hardest part skill wise to make that transition? What skills from muay thai have had a positive effect on your boxing training? What have you personally found to be easier on the body? What weight class are you fighting at?

I know you strongly believe that punchers are born, not made...do you feel the same way about kicking power/ability(for leg/body/head)?

Good luck on your pro debut!

 

[Yanoush]

King Kabuki taught Chuck Norris how to fight.

 

[Killed by Death]

what is your ameture record?

 

[Sinister]

What made you transition over to boxing from muay thai?

I decided I wanted to fight Professionally, it came down to Boxing or MMA. For a long while I was siding with MMA, but Boxing's always been the little whisper in the back of my Fighting brain. Now it's become the voice I speak with.

Oh yeah and $$$. In Boxing you can be well-paid as a sparring partner. This guy here:

Went to Germany to spar with Ruslan Chagaev. He was making $1,500 per week Euro, which turned into like $3 grand here.

What skills from muay thai have had a positive effect on your boxing training?

Well, I learned HOW to Box before I learned Muay Thai. So it was the other way around. Boxing always had a positive effect on my Muay Thai. But honestly, it's not a skill from Muay Thai that had a good effect, it's durability. I endure body-shots exceptionally well.

That mufucka in the picture above has hit me to the body.

What have you personally found to be easier on the body?

Muay Thai's a bit tougher on the body in-terms of damage, Boxing in-terms of overuse injuries like tendonitis of the shoulder.

What weight class are you fighting at?

147.

I know you strongly believe that punchers are born, not made...do you feel the same way about kicking power/ability(for leg/body/head)?

Now that's an exceptionally good question. I'm not sure about kicks, maybe so. Because of the vast amount of kicking arts where people debate which has the most powerful kicks overall, it makes the waters muddy. However, I'd like to think so. I mean Cro Cop's kick I don't think is something that can be taught in-terms of the power he generates.

If I had to pick a guy though to say power-kickers are born and not made, it'd be Danny Steele.

what is your ameture record?

Ain't got one. I never did sanctioned Amateur Boxing beyond School, and I don't count scholastic tournaments.

 

[Killed by Death]

why dont you fight ameture before pro?

 

[Sinister]

why dont you fight ameture before pro?

I've no interest in Amateur Boxing. In America, the Amateur system is pretty bad unless your goal is to win tournaments. It's all points-based, you can knock a guy down a couple times and still lose a fight because a KD is the same as a landed punch, 1 point.

Besides, I'm not 19. If I'm gonna get my ass whooped in front of a crowd of people, I want to at least take home a G or two.

 

[Killed by Death]

I've no interest in Amateur Boxing. In America, the Amateur system is pretty bad unless your goal is to win tournaments. It's all points-based, you can knock a guy down a couple times and still lose a fight because a KD is the same as a landed punch, 1 point.

Besides, I'm not 19. If I'm gonna get my ass whooped in front of a crowd of people, I want to at least take home a G or two.

what about experience?

how old are you?

plus if you care about being a pro, then an ameture record wont really matter interms of loses and wins.

 

[WCLegend90]

We should make this an "Ask KK" thread.

lol

 

[Killed by Death]

you want to fight 147? how tall are you

 

[Sinister]

what about experience?

how old are you?

plus if you care about being a pro, then an ameture record wont really matter interms of loses and wins.

You'd be surprised how much experience you get sparring working Pros or former Amateur Champs turning Pro on a routine basis. It's not like I've been only hitting Heavybags all this time.

I don't want to fight Amateur, and am not going to.

you want to fight 147? how tall are you

5'10".

 

[franz_grinder]

Not trying to hug nuts here. Mods aren't to happy with me anyways... but I recently started a work on an mma site and put a forum up. Guys like King Kabuki actually help forums to grow. I can see how hard it is to spark discussion.

Mikemartial, King Kabuki, Roberto Riccardi, Madmick, Aesopian... these are the guys that make the site worthwhile.

 

[Killed by Death]

You'd be surprised how much experience you get sparring working Pros or former Amateur Champs turning Pro on a routine basis. It's not like I've been only hitting Heavybags all this time.

I don't want to fight Amateur, and am not going to.



5'10".

but how old are you? its probably too late anyways, unless you want to fight a few bums and make a little money.

 

[Sinister]

but how old are you? its probably too late anyways, unless you want to fight a few bums and make a little money.

I'm 29. But as for too late, that depends. My trainer fought until he was 42, and won a Title at 38. I'm not old physically (shopworn), just a little old to be having slapping contests for points.

Glen Johnson was recently at our Gym, and at 38 he was working harder than all of the younger guys.

It's all in perspectives. I can do Amateurs, or I can work for better guys as a sparring partner (same way Margarito, Jose Luis Castillo, and many others forged themselves), and maybe make a little scratch doing it (Zab Judah's hiring right now for $1,000 a week), for me I'd rather do the latter.

It's just a decision, and one I gave much thought. Amateurs in my opinion, and that of my trainer, is a waste of time and money.

 

[Killed by Death]

well then why havent you fought pro yet?

just fight an 0-0 guy

 

[devante]

im not an expert; but having been around alot of pro and amteur boxers, an trainers, i would have to agree w/kabuki. When starting at a later stage, amateurs might be more of a hinderance for you; your already behind the eightball to a large degree and rather than learn amateur boxing, getting good at it..you should probably just develop at a gym w/alot of pros and trainers.

making the adjustment to amateur events when ur at any age takes a certain amount of time; an once u get that down it takes time to readjust to the pro way of fighting. An most can't afford to have an extended amateur career, which can be lucrative if and when u go pro; it can really get u that big contract and signing bonus. But at his stage i doubt that he had the time necessary to go that route, financially it doesnt make much sense; an tech it would be a hindrance because then he has to readjust to fighting pros..so in a sense time would be lost.

financially as a pro your at least getting paid, an as stated u can make a good living as a sparring partner if your tough skilled and dependable; which also helps u refine your skills, ring comfort and strategy working w/talented prospects, veterans, contenders or titleholders.

u can be a good pro and not start til late toney mcallum hopkins mcline have all started late and done well for themselves.

wish u well, respect ur guts and desire to give it an honest shot

 

[Sinister]

well then why havent you fought pro yet?

just fight an 0-0 guy

Because you don't just get out there and "go fight." That's how you end up fighting a guy who is 0-0 but was a World Games Champ who is a ringer, and is going to kick your ass bad.

Not that I don't appreciate your input on what I should do, but I'll continue to follow the guidance of a former 3-division World Champ on the matter.