Aaron Boyes is one of New Zealands most respected fighters and trainers, running Strikeforce Gym in Auckland. Aaron is currently preparing to take on Thai Leonard Sitophlek in a super fight on the Oceania S1 show, he took some time out to answer a few questions.

Reporter: Hamish Robertson 26th August 2006

Why did you start training in martial arts and what styles did you do?

Followed my big brother to the local martial arts club, it was called c.m.a combined martial arts, basically a taekwondo system. Since then i have trained in Wushu Tai chi, jujitsu, thaiboxing and boxing

What made you start Kickboxing?Why did you start fighting?

I ko'd a guy in a martial arts tournament with a spinning back kick, Terry Hill was reffing the fight, i got disqualified for excessive contact lol. Terry said to me if you could do that in a thai boxing fight that would
be awesome. So he set me up a fight on his next promotion which i won by ko with a low spinning sweep kick lol

You have fought some of the best in your weight bracket including Shane Choppa Chapman, Ian Jacobs, Nathan Corbett who was your hardest fight and why?

Alot of my fights have been out of my natural weight catagory eg Choppa and Jordan at 70kg i was always to weak to fight properly, my natural fight weight is 78 to 80kg. Id say my hardest fight was Paul Slowinski at 80kg in Brisbane, no matter what i hit him with he would just keep walking foward,
Ian Jacobs was also incredibly fast and hard to hit

What fight is your most memorable and why?

Probably fighting Brett Dalton in Perth, we smashed each other for 5 rounds, one of the first times i been elbowed lol. Also Gurkan Ozkan was a very intertaining fight, Gurkan was a true entertainer

You have also trained several times in Thailand, can you tell us a little about your time there?

I been going to Kho Samui for about 6 years now and training at the wmc camp in Lamai, I love it there its paradise and the trainers are great.

Can you tell us a little about your fights in Thailand?

Had five fights in Thailand over the past six years, won four lost 1, a few taxi drivers but a few local champions too.

You recently beat Chris Johnson for the second time, was it different fighting him in his home town of Sydney?

Na i have fought in Sydney for years too so i have some good friends there that support me, I like fighting Chris cause he is the only fighter shorter than me lol

Can you tell us about your last fight with Jason Tramsek in Melbourne?

He is very fast clean fighter, would love to fight him again. I hate fighters who make excusses for losing, so i wont but i really enjoyed fighting Jason and think i could turn it around next time

You are fighting leonard Sitpholek in a full thai rules super fight on the S1 oceania card, 2nd September, what are your thoughts on leonard and how do you think it will go?

They never seem to give me easy ones lol, Ive watch him fight and think he gonna try and grapple me for 5 rounds, yay

Who do you think will win the S1 8man tournament?

Never seen Wanlop fight but at 72.5 i think Choppa will be to big and strong for everyone, also he is improving everytime i see him fight, I think Shane Cornish may be the dark horse of this tournament, maybe not experienced enough to win but good enough to get to the final.

Kickboxing has really taken off in New Zealand, who do you think is going to be the next fighter to break into the international scene?

Joshua Tai is only 18 and still a bit soft physically but once he hardens up and if he focuses he could follow in his brothers footsteps, other names would be Shannon Foreman, Mark Spenser, Sefa Fue, and the Indian boy from etk sorry forgot his name

Who is going to win the K1 Oceania and why?

Jason Suttie, to good to fast but really should move on like Peter Graham.

Do you teach full time or do you work as well?

Did work part time as well at Auckland martial arts supplies but now am concentration on running the gym.

You have recently relocated the gym, where to and why the move?

We were at the last building for 12 years untill it was nearly falling out from underneath our feet, due to the building being about 150 years old. We found a new building 3 times as big 4500sq ft clean and bright down the rd in Drury st New Lynn, looks real professional when you walk in. The gym membership is just growing real fast we have about 130 members so we need all the space we can get.

Your gym strikeforce has produced alot of quality fighters such as Willy Lam, James
Brown, Dion Reid who has been most successful and who should we look out for
in the future?

Dont forget Neil Swailes, Karl Webber, Sam Brown, Mike Sethna, even that sly dude Hamish(known to sneek off to oz for a MMA fight or two) five of NZ best Vale Tudo/MMA fighters, got some good up in comers, we will see how they go

There are also Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes taught by Pedro Fernandes and MMA
classes taught by Karl Webber at Strikeforce, do you take part or have you
considered fighting in MMA?

Karl and i have trained together for years and Pedro is an exciting addition to the strikeforce team, i love MMA and would love to do it one day, I think our gym are by far the most experienced in MMA, Karl, Neil etc have been fighting for about 10 years now so if i do fight i know im in good hands.

Who have been your biggest supporters and influences throughout your career?

My family are both my biggest supporters and influences, Jason and Roger at ETK are great for both. Actually most fighters in NZ are a tight knit community who look out for each other, apart from a few dick heads get left out.

What do you like to do outside of training and fighting?

Spend alot of time with my daughter and family

What one piece of advice would you give to an up and coming fighter to help them make it to the top?

Train properly for every fight and but have balance, enjoy life to the fullest, dont spend your whole life in the gym.Thanks Aaron and good luck with your fight against leonard on the upcoming S1 show

Aaron Boyes runs Strikeforce Gym, Drury St, Avondale, Auckland.

Interview by Hamish Robertson and photos by Scottya

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