It’s almost a year since Suggy’s Gym’s Chace Griffin defeated the previously unbeaten Blayne Armitage from Powers Martial Arts in Sheffield to win the first Ramon Dekkers Challenge Belt on the last FMSFL show…
And on Saturday 11 March, two more of these prestigious belts were up for grabs at Grantham Meres Leisure Centre as part of another action-packed night featuring both professional and amateur kickboxers on the card.
“Up first was the Ramon Dekkers International Challenge Belt between Gladiator’s Fighting Gym‘s Loic Njeya from Cameroon/Switzerland, who trains at the world-famous Mike’s Gym in Amsterdam, widely recognised as the world’s leading kickboxing gym, and Reece Rowell from Essex Kickboxing Academy, which came to an end after three rounds when Reece withdrew and the decision went to Loic by TKO,” said Suggy’s Gym‘s Dean Sugden.
“And competing for the second Ramon Dekkers Challenge Belt were Dean Pattinson from Hardwork MMA /4th Dimension in Grimsby and Nathan Riddle from Sheffield‘s Powers Martial Arts. This one went the full five rounds, at the end of which Dean was awarded the win and the Challenge Belt by a unanimous decision.”
The Ramon Dekkers Challenge Belt was an idea that Dean came up with after lengthy discussions with Cor Hemmers, to try to and decide who was the best in their country.
“A Dutch kickboxer and an 8-time Muay Thai world champion, Ramon Dekkers was a favourite with fight fans due to his fast-paced, aggressive fighting style who was also renowned for his willingness to go abroad to fight the Thai champions in their own country,” he said.
“ Sometimes in our sport Number 1 and Number 2 don’t fight each other but the spirit of Ramon Dekkers lives on as he fought everyone and went to Thailand to take on its very best in his quest to become a Champion.”
“Ramon said “As soon as I step into the ring, there is No Mercy,” said Cor Hemmers. “That’s his quote, he even had a tattoo on his belly with those words. That being said, he was never angry or aggressive to his opponents but if they stepped into the ring with him, he saw them as the obstacle that wanted to beat him, that was in his way for the future, and they needed to be eliminated.”
“So what better name could we come up with?” added Dean. “He really is GOAT in our sport and his fighting spirit was second to none alongside his explosive fighting style and his ability to find a way to win. “
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