Karate kid set to mix it with the big boys
ANTHONY Tockar will be part of the South Pacific team at one of the world’s biggest karate tournaments later this year.
ANTHONY Tockar will be part of the South Pacific team at one of the world’s biggest karate tournaments later this year.
The 25-year-old from Sydney will represent Australia and New Zealand at the World Open Karate Tournament – where the aim is to knock out your opponent – in Tokyo in November.
“I’ve been training for years, but from the start of this year I’ve only been working part-time so I can train as much as I can,” Tockar said.
“Making the team is amazing, but I don’t have a chance of winning because it is an incredibly prestigious event and the best fighters in the world will be competing.”
Each fight lasts for three minutes and the winner is determined by knock-out or, failing that, by a points decision from the judges.
For protection in full contact competition, the fighters only wear a mouth-guard and a box.
Tockar, who weighs 95 kilograms, said he isn’t sure how far he will go in Japan.
“I could come up against a couple of decent fighters and beat them before facing one of the top guys or, like an Australian at the last tournament four years ago, I could come up against one the favourites in the first round and lose my first fight.”
The Australian four years ago was knocked out in just 30 seconds, but Tockar said he expects to remain conscious.
“I’ve lost fights, but I’ve never been knocked out, because I think as long as you are alert you really shouldn’t get knocked out.”
Tockar’s dad, Trevor, said his son’s feats are proof that anything is possible.
“He really deserves this because he worked so hard for so long, has been on special diets, has been walking around with weights on his legs and has really gone to hell and back to achieve this,” Trevor said.
Trevor used to be a full-time karate instructor himself, and so he felt Anthony was always destined for a career on the mat.
“This tournament started in 1975 and is one of the most amazing in the world, because they have a three-day tournament and there is only one winner,” he said.
“There are no divisions and no categories it’s just everyone in the same competition.”
The World Open Karate Tournament will be held in Tokyo from November 3-5.
JOSHUA LEVI
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