Fred Royers (born March 15, 1955) is a Dutch former
kickboxer
Kickboxing is a combat sport focused on kicking and punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is practiced for self-defense, general ...
who competed in the
middleweight
Middleweight is a weight class in combat sports.
Boxing Professional
In professional boxing, the middleweight division is contested above and up to .
Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have be ...
division. He was known for his powerful low kicks, which is now a staple of
Dutch kickboxing
Kickboxing is a combat sports, combat sport focused on kicking and punch (strike), punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is pract ...
.
Biography and career
Royers began practicing
karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...
at the age of 16. He went on to become the Dutch national champion on nine occasions and also won medals at the
Karate World Championships
The Karate World Championships, also known as the World Karate Championships, are the highest level of competition for karate organized by the World Karate Federation (WKF). The competition is held in a different city every two years. Championshi ...
in 1979, 1980, 1982 and 1984 as well as the
World Games 1981
The 1981 World Games were the first World Games, an international multi-sport event, and were held in Santa Clara, California, United States. The games featured sports that were not included in the Olympics, including tug-of-war, racquetball ...
. He also competed in
amateur boxing
Amateur boxing is a variant of boxing practiced at the collegiate level, at the Olympic Games, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games, as well as many associations.
Amateur boxing bouts are short in duration, comprising three rounds of three ...
.
In 1978, Royers joined the
Mejiro Gym
Mejiro Gym is a kickboxing gym headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The gym is considered the "birthplace" of Dutch kickboxing.
History
Mejiro Gym was founded in 1978 by Jan Plas, a Dutch kickboxer who learned kickboxing from Kenji Kurosa ...
and took up
kickboxing
Kickboxing is a combat sports, combat sport focused on kicking and punch (strike), punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is pract ...
. He became the European
Savate
Savate (), also known as boxe française, savate boxing, French boxing or French footfighting, is a French kickboxing combat sport that uses the hands and feet as weapons combining elements of English boxing with graceful kicking techniques.
...
Champion in 1984 when he defeated
Robert Paturel
Robert Paturel is a French Savate boxer and RAID veteran, born in 1952 in Rueil-Malmaison. He won the French Boxing championship six times in France, and became a European champion in 1984.
Nicknamed ''"Gorille"'' (Gorilla), he is famous in Fra ...
via
technical knockout
A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...
in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. The following year, he won the
WKA Middleweight Championship of the World when he won a 12-round decision victory over Yasuo Tabata. He was forced to retire in 1986, however, after breaking his arm twice in training.
Following his retirement, Royers opened his own gym in his home town of
Arnhem
Arnhem ( or ; german: Arnheim; South Guelderish: ''Èrnem'') is a city and municipality situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands about 55 km south east of Utrecht. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland, located on both banks of ...
and began working as the
Dutch language
Dutch ( ) is a West Germanic language spoken by about 25 million people as a first language and 5 million as a second language. It is the third most widely spoken Germanic language
The Germanic languages are a branch of the Indo-Europea ...
kickboxing commentator for
Eurosport
Eurosport is a group of pay television networks in Europe and parts of Asia. Owned by Warner Bros. Discovery through Warner Bros. Discovery Sports#Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe properties, its international sports unit, it operates two ...
in 1990.
Titles
* Amateur boxing
** Oost district champion
* Karate
** 5x Middleweight Champion of the Netherlands
** 4x Openweight Champion of the Netherlands
** 1979
European Championship Champion
** 1980
World Championships
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
: Bronze Medal
** 1981
World Games
The World Games are an international multi-sport event comprising sports and sporting disciplines that are not contested in the Olympic Games. They are usually held every four years, one year after a Summer Olympic Games, over the course of 11 d ...
: Silver Medal
** 1982
World Championships
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
: Bronze Medal
** 1984
European Championships
The European Championships is a multi-sport tournament which brings together the existing European Championships of some of the continent's leading sports every four years. The inaugural edition in 2018 was staged by the host cities of Berlin, ...
: Bronze Medal
* Kickboxing
** Middleweight Muay Thai Champion of the Netherlands
** Middleweight Kickboxing Champion of the Netherlands
** European Savate Champion
**
WKA European Middleweight Champion
**
WKA Middleweight Champion of the World
**
WKL Hall of Fame WKL
Kickboxing record
, -
,
, Loss
, style="text-align:left" ,
Youssef Zenaf
,
,
Paris, France
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, Decision
, align="center" , 9
, align="center" , 3:00
, For
IKL and
WAKO Super Middleweight World titles.
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Yasuo Tabata
,
,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban are ...
, Decision
, align="center" , 12
, align="center" , 3:00
, Wins
WKA Middleweight World title.
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Ralf Berger
,
,
West Berlin
West Berlin (german: Berlin (West) or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin during the years of the Cold War. Although West Berlin was de jure not part of West Germany, lacked any sovereignty, and was under mi ...
,
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
, TKO (low kick)
, align="center" , 6
, align="center" ,
, Defends
WKA Middleweight European title.
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Keith Nathan
,
,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban are ...
, TKO (low kick)
, align="center" , 4
, align="center" ,
, Defends
WKA Middleweight European title.
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Pascal LePlat
,
,
Paris, France
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, Decision
, align="center" , 9
, align="center" , 3:00
, Wins
WKA Middleweight European title.
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Robert Paturel
Robert Paturel is a French Savate boxer and RAID veteran, born in 1952 in Rueil-Malmaison. He won the French Boxing championship six times in France, and became a European champion in 1984.
Nicknamed ''"Gorille"'' (Gorilla), he is famous in Fra ...
,
,
Paris, France
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, Decision
, align="center" , 5
, align="center" , 3:00
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Ernie Jackson
Earnest Jackson (born April 11, 1950) is a former professional American football cornerback for eight seasons in the National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists ...
,
,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban are ...
, Decision (split)
, align="center" , 9
, align="center" , 3:00
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Christian Bafir
,
,
Paris, France
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, Decision
, align="center" , 5
, align="center" , 3:00
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Larry Nichols
Larry Raymond Nichols (July 29, 1950 – September 27, 2020) was an American political commentator known for his accusations against Bill Clinton. He was one of the creators of the 1994 film '' The Clinton Chronicles.''
Early life
Nichols g ...
,
,
Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States, located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. As of July 1, 2019, Hollywood had a population of 154,817. Founded in 1925, the city grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, and is now ...
, USA
, Decision
, align="center" , 9
, align="center" , 3:00
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Billy Chau
,
,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban are ...
, Decision
, align="center" , 9
, align="center" , 3:00
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Gaetan Litricin
,
,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban are ...
, TKO (forfeit)
, align="center" , 1
, align="center" , 0:00
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Youssef Zenaf
, Nuit de la Boxe Americaine
,
Paris, France
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, Decision
, align="center" , 7
, align="center" , 3:00
, Wins
BFS Middleweight European title.
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
L. Minocci
,
,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban are ...
, TKO (forfeit)
, align="center" , 1
, align="center" , 0:00
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Robert Davis
,
,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban are ...
, KO
, align="center" , 1
, align="center" ,
, Wins
NKBB Super Middleweight Dutch title.
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Robert Paturel
Robert Paturel is a French Savate boxer and RAID veteran, born in 1952 in Rueil-Malmaison. He won the French Boxing championship six times in France, and became a European champion in 1984.
Nicknamed ''"Gorille"'' (Gorilla), he is famous in Fra ...
,
,
Paris, France
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, TKO (kick)
, align="center" , 4
, align="center" ,
, Wins
BFS Super Middleweight European title.
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Christian Bafir
,
,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban are ...
, Decision
, align="center" , 5
, align="center" , 3:00
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Hans de Ruiter
,
,
Paris, France
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, TKO
, align="center" , 2
, align="center" ,
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Henk Kooy
,
,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban are ...
, Decision
, align="center" , 5
, align="center" , 5:00
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Niek Bloemberg
,
,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban are ...
, KO
, align="center" , 2
, align="center" ,
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Sarge Solignac
,
,
Paris, France
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, Decision
, align="center" , 5
, align="center" , 3:00
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Pascal Leplat
,
,
Paris, France
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, Decision
, align="center" , 5
, align="center" , 3:00
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Alan Dixon
Alan John Dixon (July 7, 1927 – July 6, 2014) was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served in the Illinois General Assembly from 1951 to 1971, as the Illinois Treasurer from 1971 to 1977, as the Illinois Secretary of ...
,
,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban are ...
, Decision
, align="center" , 3
, align="center" , 3:00
,
, -
,
, Win
, style="text-align:left" ,
Tuncay Coban
,
,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban are ...
, Decision
, align="center" , 3
, align="center" , 3:00
,
, -
, colspan=9 , ''Legend'':
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Royers, Fred
1955 births
Living people
Dutch male kickboxers
Middleweight kickboxers
Dutch male karateka
Dutch savateurs
Kickboxing commentators
Sportspeople from Arnhem
World Games silver medalists
Competitors at the 1981 World Games
World Games medalists in karate
20th-century Dutch people
21st-century Dutch people