Kickboxing deserves recognition: top-level sport, academic study and discipline at the very highest level
Kickboxing has undergone impressive development over the years. The sport experienced particularly strong international growth in the 1980s and 1990s. Japan played a key role in this, with major events and a strong influence from karate, amongst other disciplines. The Netherlands, too, developed into a major centre for kickboxing during that period and produced many fighters who would later make a name for themselves internationally.
Nevertheless, kickboxing has long had to contend with a negative image. The sport used to be regularly associated with aggression and street violence. However, anyone who is genuinely involved in the world of kickboxing knows that a good gym is all about discipline, respect, self-control, responsibility and perseverance.
For many young people, the gym has also become a place where they find structure and can channel their energy in a positive way. Instead of getting into fights on the streets, they learn their limits within clear rules and under the guidance of trainers. For young people who have a lot of energy or struggle to concentrate, sport can also help to provide structure, focus and self-confidence. Sport can be a valuable source of support in this regard, without replacing professional medical guidance or necessary treatment.
Sharif ben Mabrouk
From beginner to professional top-flight level
Anyone who thinks that a professional kickboxer simply steps into the ring every now and then is underestimating what goes on behind the scenes.
Development often begins at a young age. Through youth competitions and beginner-level training, fighters can progress to the C-class, then the B-class and ultimately the professional A-class.
But reaching that level is only part of the story.
To reach the top and stay there, professional kickboxers train almost every day.
Technical training, sparring, strength training, fitness training, recovery, nutrition and mental preparation are all part of their lives. On top of that come training camps, travelling and competitions. A professional fighter must constantly invest in their body and development, because at international level, even a slight disadvantage can make all the difference.
That requires years of discipline and enormous personal sacrifice.
Sharif Ben Mabrouk: combining elite sport with higher education
Sharif Ben Mabrouk is an example of an athlete who is trying to balance two demanding worlds: higher education and a professional kickboxing career.
Alongside his studies, he continues to invest in his sporting development on a daily basis. He now competes as a professional kickboxer at international events, including at SENSHI in Bulgaria.
For him, kickboxing is not just a passion. It is also a profession that enables him to earn an income and support himself whilst continuing to build on his education and future.
Many students work in the hospitality industry, shops or other sectors after their lessons to pay for their studies and daily living costs. A professional kickboxer can do this in a different way: by training, preparing for weeks on end and ultimately stepping into the ring to earn an income through his sport.
The difference is that behind that single match often lie months of daily preparation.
Sharif ben Mabrouk
Why should kickboxing be treated any differently?
In sports such as football, swimming, athletics and various other disciplines, there are arrangements in place whereby schools and educational institutions take into account students who compete at a high level.
But in kickboxing too, there are students who are pursuing higher education whilst competing at national or international level.
Why should they deserve any less support?
A kickboxer who trains five, six or sometimes seven days a week, competes abroad and, on top of that, is trying to get their degree, is achieving a tremendous feat.
He or she should not be forced to choose between education and elite sport when the two can be combined in a responsible manner.
Sharif ben Mabrouk
Time for full recognition
Modern kickboxing deserves to be judged on what it truly represents today.
It’s not just about fighting.
But also:
discipline, training, respect, self-control, health, ambition and perseverance.
Athletes such as Sharif Ben Mabrouk demonstrate that a professional kickboxer can take both his future and his studies seriously at the same time.
Anyone who wants to reach the very top internationally must perform at their best day in, day out. And once you’re there, you may have to work even harder to stay there.
That is why kickboxing also deserves the same attention and opportunities as other elite sports when it comes to combining education, personal development and a professional sporting career.
Talent and elite sport deserve support — whether that talent is on a football pitch, in a swimming pool, on an athletics track or between the ropes of a kickboxing ring.
