Martial Arts: Fighter shrugs off grief for K1 title shot

Assassins Guild member James Griffiths will fight for the WKA K1 New Zealand title in Hastings next month. Photo/Stuart Munro

He came to Wanganui to get past his grief and put his fighting career back on track and now James Griffiths has been handed the opportunity to fight for the New Zealand K1 kickboxing title next month.

The former Waikato resident has well over a decade's experience in Thai kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). He moved to Wanganui six months ago and hooked up with the Assassins Guild training camp run by top practitioners Kyle Gallacher and Craig Mercer. Griffiths, with a record of 12-3 in kickboxing and 9-3 with one no-contest in MMA, had put his career on hold three years ago when his mother was diagnosed with cancer.

"There was no way I could leave her. I also gave up the business to do that."

Taking care of his mother until her death, he then moved with his partner to Wanganui so she could be closer to family and attend a business course at UCOL, finding the Guild was the perfect environment to make a return to combat sports.

"I've been a professional fighter for years and have never been taught some of the attributes that they knew, so it's been a bonus for me," Griffiths said.

"I just thought I'd jump straight back into it - represent Wanganui."

Making some noise about getting as many bouts as possible - he has now set himself up for the difficult task of having three different-style fights in as many months.

The biggest of these will be on June 21 in Hastings at the "Rise of Legends" show, presented by Combat Kings.

He will meet Australian-based Chris "the White Sniper" Johnson for the vacant World Kickboxing Association (WKA) K1 New Zealand title at 85kg. "I've been finding it hard to get fights because my record is okay," Griffiths said.

"I publicly announced I'm looking for any type of fight. I got the call from Combat Kings."

After his New Zealand title fight of five rounds lasting two minutes, Griffiths will have an MMA fight in Auckland on July 26, consisting of three five-minute rounds in the cage.

Then just a week later, on August 2, he has signed for his first professional boxing match in Hamilton, four 3-minute rounds.

But his first step is trying to get the K1 crown as both Griffiths and Mercer said Johnson is a very experienced fighter, having won many titles abroad.

"James is primarily an MMA fighter so is under no illusions as to the task at hand, but is looking forward to it and training hard," Mercer said.

As the father of a 2-year-old girl and 10-month-old son, Griffiths looks after his children and then trains when his partner has finished studies.

Like any battler in the Kiwi fight game, getting sponsors is always the challenge and he hopes this unique challenge of three different fights may attract some in coming months.

Three other members of the Assassins Guild will also be on the "Rise of Legends" show in amateur kickboxing bouts - Mike Makatea-Leylander, Jono Anderson, and Ashlee Burgess.

For Makatea-Leylander and Burgess, it will be their first full amateur fights where the win/loss result is recorded.

But first up for the Guild is tonight in New Plymouth as Case Needham, 16, is fighting on the undercard of "Eruption 5", put on by the Thai Boxing Studio.

Needham will be taking on popular Taranaki local Tyler Hedley, also 16, and Mercer said their charge is "fit and hitting hard".

"With just under a month training with Kyle Gallacher at AGMMA he has impressed and looks a good prospect going forward.

"With Tyler being touted as the next up-and-comer looking for a title shot later in the year, a win for Case would build much confidence and gain him some traction in his age group and division."