Lockport Union-Sun & Journal
Lockport heavyweight Joe Taylor improved to 6-0 as a professional by winning an IKF tournament last week in Florida.
The popular knockout specialist Taylor, know locally as “The Son of Legend,” wasn’t satisfied last month after a brutal, first-round technical knockout victory at International Warfare at the Kenan Arena, or claiming the New York State Golden Gloves title the month before that.
Just two weeks after his last win, the undefeated Lockport heavyweight kickboxer called promoter Amer Abdallah to get him into the upcoming IKF World Classic Kickboxing Tournament.
“I was initially surprised he wanted to get back into action so fast after just winning back to back big fights” Abdallah said. “He was persistent and when I told him to think about it, discuss it with his family and call me in a couple of days. He did and was even more determined.”
Taylor returned to Western New York MMA and began training immediately with assistant coach Dan Dorfman daily.
“I was hungry to win the tournament” Taylor said. “The moment I found out they had the competition, I wanted in. I was confident I could win it.”
The IKF’s (International Kickboxing Federation) annual World Classic tournament attracted kickboxers from all over the world to compete in the prestigious amateur tournament and is amongst the largest tournaments of the year.
This year they had 173 bouts scheduled for the tourney. Taylor entered in the open division, meaning he would compete with kickboxers with three or more fights experience.
Taylor’s first fight was against 6-feet, 2-inch Anthony Thomas of Sorrento, Fla., who came into the tournament with six fights under his belt.
From the opening bell, Taylor jumped on Thomas and didn’t allow him time to adjust to the Lockport native’s attack.
“Everything I threw was with bad intentions.” Taylor said. “He threw a straight right and didn’t bring it back quick enough and I caught him with a left hook that dropped him.”
Taylor and trainer Dorfman believed the fight should have been called off at that point, but the referee allowed Thomas to beat the count and continue.
“I showed him no mercy and hit him with right kick to the head and a pretty left hook…and it was over,” Taylor said. The official time of the stoppage was 1:30 seconds of the first round.
Less than 24 hours later, Taylor fought in the finals against tough Canadian Daniel Yoner of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Yoner, who was aware of Taylor’s destruction of his first opponent, came right at the Lockport heavyweight.
“He was tough and made me work,” Taylor said. Both fighters went back and forth with Taylor landing the more effective and aggressive blows. After three rounds all judges had it in favor of Taylor, who captured the IKF World Classic Tournament title.
“We’re so proud of Joe, who took the initiative to not only get into a world caliber tournament, but represent our fighting community of Lockport in amazing fashion. He’s my hero,” Abdallah said.
“I want to thank Lace Up Promotions for sponsoring my trip to Florida along with the McClain family who made it possible. I took my team consisting of my girlfriend, Cassi, trainer Dan Dorfman and daughter Julissa to Florida to represent Lockport in style. I’m happy I was able to bring a title back home.”
