Two Filipino kickboxers won gold medals in the World Kickboxing Association (WKA) World Championships held recently at the Mira Boxing Stadium in Bali, Indonesia.
Jethro Saba, fighting in the 61 to 63 kilograms class, bagged two gold medals after beating Indonesian Joydi Sigarlaki and American Dean Rosenwald both by unanimous decision.
Saba used a vicious combination of straight punches and back kicks to conquer his opponents.
Andrei Amerkhan, competing in the 63.5 kg class, defeated Australian Rahullah Sarwari via unanimous decision.
Amerkhan thrilled the crowd by unleashing two flying knee strikes and a straight punch to his opponent’s jaw en route to his win.
“Every time I fight I utter a short prayer that says: All my heart all for God’s glory,” said Amerkhan who also secured an international professional contract with the WKA.
Founded in 1976, the WKA also known as World Kickboxing and Karate Association is one of the oldest and largest amateur and professional sanctioning body for kickboxing and karate.
The WKA is now led by its president Dave Sawyer with headquarters based in Auckland, New Zealand.
Eddy Lee is the regional director of WKA East Asia while Ramil Serit is the president of WKA Philippines.
