Mick Doyle (kickboxer)
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Mick Doyle (December 1, 1967 - ) was an Irish Kick Boxer trainer and coach. Michael J. Doyle was born in Dublin Ireland in 1967. Raised in a tough neighborhood, Mick’s father, Robbie, thought it would be a good idea that his son had some training in the Martial Arts. Robbie had previously trained with Joseph Canning in Wado Ryu Karate under the instruction of Grandmaster Meiji Suzuki. So at the age of 7, Mick started his Martial Arts journey.
During his first two years of training, Mick had his share of problems. He couldn’t win a match; he would rather be playing soccer and running the streets with his friends. He wanted to quit. He had had enough. His father said, “No.” Robbie told Mick to do as Sensei Joe said and just train properly for a one tournament. If he did like Joe said and still lost he would let Mick quit.
Later that year Mick entered the Irish Kickboxing Federation’s Leintster Finals and won his division. From that point on Mick was hooked. He trained seriously, running home from school for lunch, a 2-mile stretch both ways, and watching television on his knuckles.
By the age of 10 his interest in soccer was declining and his passion for Martial Arts was growing. Sensei Joe asked him to join his Junior Competition Team. Joe’s team won every tournament they entered, and Mick took particular pride in beating up on foreign teams while representing Ireland during international competitions.
In 1979, at the age of 11, Mick’s life took direction when the reigning World Karate Champion, Ticky Donovan came to Dublin with the English National Team. The champ took a look at Mick, and said that he had what it takes to be the World Champion. Mick now had a goal.
From 1980 to 1985 Mick went undefeated and become the Irish Kickboxing Champion. For three of those years Mick was forced to fight in the adult divisions, even though he had not met his majority. His tournament and fight schedule allowed him to travel much of Northern Europe.
In 1984, Mick earned his first Dan in Wado Ryu Okinawa Karate. During this time he began to study Bushido, or The Way of the Samurai, under Sensei Eddie Ince.
When Mick was 17, he went to England to train in Muay Thai with Master Toddy. While there he also participated in a seminar series presented by Master Sken in Muay Thai as well. These were his first experiences with the Muay Thai style of fighting, but it wouldn’t be his last.
In 1985, Mick took his final school exams. At that time in Ireland 1 out of every 6 people were unemployed. He applied to join the police force, but there was a 5 year wait. He applied with the Irish Rangers only to find that they had a 4 year wait. Ironically, later that year Mick started training the Rangers for close quarter fighting with Sensei Eddie Ince. This was his first experience in teaching.
Later that year Mick earned his first Dan in Mugendo Martial Arts under Masters Joe and George Canning. He also earned his Black Belt in Bushido that year.
On December 6th, 1986 at the age of 18 Mick made the decision to immigrate to the United States. At that time he had an overall record of 50 – 0.
He enrolled at Bellevue University and started working out at the University’s gym. Mick entered a Karate/Tae Kwon Do tournament in both disciplines and won the Black Belt category in both, catching the eye of Greg Adams. Greg invited him to his gym where the fighters wanted to study with Mick. He trained there for 2 years.
In 1988 Mick became the Fitness Coordinator at Saint Joseph’s Center for Mental Health. He also opened his first school, The Midwest Fighting Arts Academy at 51st and Northwest Radial Highway in Northwest Omaha.
Mick found it difficult to find kickboxing and Muay Thai fights in the United States. He turned to bare knuckle and full contact fights. In 1989 he was one of 24 fighters from around the world invited to the Sabaki Challenge. He came in second, losing by decision to Nobo Hiko Kishi of Japan.
In 1989 he met one of his childhood goals -- being recognized as one the best active fighters in the world. He was ranked the number one welterweight fighter in the IKKC World rankings by Denver based World promoter Vern Stephenson. A great World title fight was scheduled between Mick and the now boxing great Johhny Tapia, but Boxing’s bigger paydays lured Tapia away from the title fight and, for Tapia, the rest is history, as they say.
As Mick’s gym continued to grow, he moved to 60th and Maple, and then to 108th and Maple in Omaha.
In September 1994, Mick won his first World title. The IKBO (International Kickboxing Organization) based out of Emmen, Holland and run by Mr. Fred Royers, had unsuccessfully tried to match Mick for over 2 years. Opponents had constantly backed down from the fight. The Muay Thai world title was finally his, and the belt still sits in the trophy case at his gym.
In January of 1996, the IKBO offered Mick a chance to unite the Muay Thai and International Rules titles in a 10 round low kick rules fight against Dave Horvath in Dave’s hometown of Winnipeg, Canada. This title would give Mick the Undisputed Title of Welterweight World Champion in Muay Thai and also International Rules Kickboxing and it was a fight he couldn’t resist. Unfortunately for Mick he suffered a fractured tibia during the sixth round of the great battle. Mick had fractured the bone during training in December and had only told his training partner, Kurt Podany. Mick but forged ahead. In the sixth round of the ten round title fight that was going Mick’s way; the injured tibia gave way when Mick threw a low kick which Horvath blocked.
On April 25th, 1996 Mick was appointed Head Coach of the United States Muay Thai Team. In May of that year Mick traveled with the team to Thailand to train and compete in the Princes Cup World Championship. After two members failed to make the trip, it was decided that Mick would compete as a team member to make the minimum compliment, and Greg Nelson, from Minnesota, would coach the Team.
Mick fought the Uzbekistan Champion, Bajhkitor Isroliev (70 – 0) in the semi-finals. The local paper reported it as a “Spectacular Kickboxing Display” with over 300 leg kicks. Three days later, when Isroliev was released from the hospital, he presented Mick with a traditional robe for being a great warrior. During the fight Mick re-injured his shin, and the medical staff would not let him continue in the final match.
During that time in Thailand, Mick spent one month training in the remote areas in the North of Thailand, and attended fights at the famous Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.
Due to his shin injury, Mick went into retirement from Muay Thai competition. He focused his efforts on his program and on his gym. The gym was now his full time profession and passion.
Mick began to spend more time perfecting his Jui Jitsu and Grappling skills. Renzo Gracie came to Omaha to train with Mick at the gym as did John Lewis and Igor Zinoviev. At this time the popularity of Mick’s seminars grew and he traveled the United States and Ireland, his homeland, to teach students. Mick’s skill as a Cornerman was also in high demand. He cornered such fighters as World Champion Moti Hornstien, World Champion Dave Cummings, World Champion Dan Rawlings, World Champion Pedro Villalobos and Muay Thai legend Kongnapa.
In 1998 Mick wanted to test his new found skills of grappling and No Holds Barred fighting with a real competition. He decided to come out of retirement and was invited to compete in the Budokai Bare Knuckle Challenge in Springfield Missouri. Mick outclassed his opponent, from Mexico, and knocked him out in the second round after breaking his opponents hand with powerful kicks.
In the spring of 1998, Mick competed in the Shidokan, “The Triathlon of Martial Arts.” During the Semifinal match, Mick TKO’d Eddy Lynn, the World San Shou Champion with a spectacular head kick. This set up a final match with U.S. Muay Thai Legend Wayne Gregory, the first U.S. fighter to ever win in a stadium in Bangkok. Mick suffered a knee injury in the fifth round and was forced to forfeit the match.
Later that year Mick was honored with an invitation to fight Bob Schirmer, the first American to ever beat a Gracie, in the Bangkok Brawl World Championships. With Renzo Gracie on his side and Jeremy Horn, UFC Veteran in his corner, Mick K.O.’d Schirmer in 90 seconds. Schirmer, a master grappler, shot in repeatedly in an attempt to take the fight to the ground. Using years of Muay Thai training, Mick landed a vicious barrage of knees that ended Schirmer’s reign as four time Bangkok Brawl Champion, and earned Mick another World Title.
Unknown to Mick, a delegation from China were in attendance to scout talent for the first ever Professional Fights to be held in China. Mick was invited to compete on the United States Team against China’s best. Mick lost a controversial decision, which was made more controversial after Mick’s opponent appeared in his dressing room and presented Mick with the Winners Plaque, which is currently displayed in the gym’s trophy case.
Also in 1998, Mick won the Grand Championship Belt at Bas Rutten’s U.S. Open Jui Jitsu/Toughman Tournament in Denver, Colorado. Two of Mick’s students, Rob Wiley and Chris Brammer, would also later win titles in the same event.
Anyone that has ever trained with Mick knows that, when Mick is training for a fight everyone is training for a fight. At this time Mick produced some great fighters such as World Muay Thai Champion Kurt Podany, United States Amateur Champions Rob Wiley, Steve Bass, Chris Brammer, Julian Walker, Jesse Hilger, David Brice, Matt Bentley, Tracey Kuschel and Paul Donelson.
Since retiring from competition Mick has devoted his energies to the gym. He strives to teach people the life’s lessons he has learned from years of constantly challenging and pushing himself to be the best. The odds have always been stacked against him. From being blind in one eye, to immigrating to the U.S. at the age of 18, unsure of what his future in this country would hold. Mick has faced all these challenges with the courage and determination of a modern day warrior.
That attraction to the Warrior Lifestyle came early for Mick. In his Bushido training while learning the way of the sword, he was taught a Samurai maxsim that continues to guide him today: “Ware i gai mina shi nari.” Everything, everybody outside of myself is my teacher.
