Cairns kickboxers eye Papua New Guinea
FAR Northern kickboxers' love affair with Papua New Guinea will continue next month when a group heads to the country's highlands to fight.
Cairns Kickboxing’s Michael Orec will lead a group of Cairns and Cooktown fighters to Papua New Guinea to continue an association started about a year ago when a group from the region first visited Port Moresby.
It continued in May when Jess Pranklin took out the World Kickboxing Association South Pacific women’s middleweight title on the club’s second visit to Moresby.
"We were assigned five security guards and it was a real adrenalin rush," Orec said of that visit.
But the group of between five and seven fighters – the final tally will vary depending on injury and illness – is in for a new experience from December 10-13 when it heads to the Papua New Guinean highlands.
"We don’t know what to expect – but in a good way," Orec said.
"The people up there are beautiful and have a real connection to Australian fighters."
Orec, Pranklin and Nigel Perera will be among those heading over, with all three warming up this weekend in the Battle of the Top End fight night at Fabric nightclub on Sunday night.
The Papua New Guinea visit was originally scheduled for next week but has had to be pushed back, something Orec is not disappointed about.
"They’re appreciating having an extra week to recover," Orec said of the fighters that would double up on Sunday and in the highlands.
Eleven fights are on Sunday’s card from 7pm, including a highly anticipated heavyweight bout between Sam Moxy and Tommy Cranston under Muay Thai rules.
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Gloves on: Cairns kickboxers (from left) Michael Orec Jess Pranklin and Nigel Perera take a break from training as they preapre for their trip to Papua New Guinea. Pictures: CHRIS HYDE
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