New Wanganui Assassins Guild fighter James Griffiths was unable to claim the NZ 85kg K1 kickboxing title from a former world champion but two of his club mates had great success in their full amateur debuts in the Hawkes Bay on Saturday night.
Griffiths fought returning hometown fighter Chris TheWhite Snipe Johnson in the main event of the Combat Kings' Rise of the Legends show at Hastings Sports Centre.
The Sydney-based Johnson, a former World Kickboxing Federation middleweight title holder as both amateur and professional, beat Griffiths by a knockout in his comeback fight.
Guild member Craig Mercer said Griffiths looked to have won the first round of the five-round fight, but got dropped in the second and couldn't answer the 10 count.
"Carried some injuries into the fight but fought hard against a very tough opponent."
However, Mike Makatea-Leylander and Ashlee Burgess had very good performances in their amateur debuts, where the win/loss results are recorded.
Makatea-Leylander earned a second round TKO over local Kory Samuels, finishing him with a barrage of punches and knees.
Burgess, the 2008 Miss Teen Wanganui who traded her tiara for muay thai gloves when she started training last year, beat Brooke Adams by points decision in a 3-round fight which Mercer said she dominated with some good diverse striking.
Guild member Jono Anderson had to settle for a draw in his tough 3-round fight with Napier's Jesse Pearson, a NZ kyokushin karate national champion who fought at the the Junior World Championships in 2012.
"Jono finished the fight strongly and was unlucky not to get the nod from the judges," said Mercer.
