Two Words...
"The Hammer!"

IKF Atlanta, Georgia, USA: Surly there could be other words to describe Joe Corley's Main Event at his famous "Battle of Atlanta" but these two were "EARNED" so we had to use them. These two words were the response to all the critics out there that questioned the past performance and the potential of a fighter we have been watching move up the ladder for years now. He has grown in the IKF as an amateur and matured tonight as a Pro. But not just any Pro... Tonight you can call him a IKF World Champion! And his new name to all you fight fans out there is now, MR. Mark "THE HAMMER" Selbee!

Tonight Selbee faced off against what what was suppose to be a much larger and stronger opponent in the number one Super Heavyweight contender, and current IKF North American FCR Champion Raoul Doucet of Ontario Canada. However, the first surprise came at weigh-ins where Selbee, who has been a Heavyweight (195-215) fighter most of his career, tipped the scales at 224 to Doucet's 222. As we said, that was the "FIRST" Surprise... Here comes the next.

Many thought this bout could go into the later rounds. If so, many knew that Doucet gets stronger as the rounds get higher, a deadly zone for any fighter who has ever taken him into the late rounds. However, Doucet is known as a slow starter and Selbee knew this. He and many were well aware if the bout went into deep waters past 6-7 rounds, this has been where Doucet has proved to get strong... Very Strong! Surly from seeing Doucet fight Copeland earlier this year, Selbee knew if he was going to score the points he needed, he needed to do it in the early rounds. The rounds it usually takes Doucet to get warmed up. Selbee knew this and did his trainer, the legendary Gary Brown. Oh and we may want to add in there the never ending words that were spoken to him over and over and kept him up at nights... "JAB, JAB" ... Something Amy gets credit for...

Still, with all this, there were still the doubters. Many spoke of their doubt on the kickboxing message board. Well, stick with the story boys and girls, because it happens in a flash and before you know it, it's over... So here it goes.

Round 1, Selbee and Doucet touch gloves, and after a few brief moments, Selbee charges straight towards Doucet, a simple combination and then it came... Selbee landed a straight right hand to the side of Doucet's head and down he went inside the first 20 seconds of the bout. No problem for Doucet right? Heck, ask Mike Sheppard of Virginia. He dropped Doucet, but it just woke the Canadian up as he came back and opened up an explosive and damaging win over him.

Was this to be the same here? Did Selbee wake the "AXEMAN" up too early in the fight? Was Doucet so awake now that he was going to unload everything he had from anger? Selbee's reaction... "Bring It ON!" A quick set of combinations, including a Doucet punch that really rocked Selbee, but here came Selbee again with ANOTHER straight right landing in the same exact spot! Again, down goes Doucet. Referee Dan Stell started the count as Doucet rose up. WHAT were we seeing? A revised Selbee? A demolition man in what... The FIRST Round? Why actually... "YES we were." Doucet appeared to shake it off, but was still dazed from the first right hand. The two came together again, keep in mind, we haven't even seen 5 kicks total yet. Then, it came... "The HAMMER!" At 1:09 of the first round, the end came. With his last swing of the HAMMER, Selbee dropped Doucet for the third and final time. Doucet wasn't out, but it was his third knockdown and this bout was over!

The hometown Selbee couldn't hear anything as the Atlanta crowd went crazy! How many were there? Who knows, but the Hyatt Ballroom was packed and all got to witness first hand yet another IKF Pro World Champion from Atlanta Georgia to take honors with the last IKF World Champion from Atlanta, Rick "THE JET" Roufus after he put a beating on Stan Longinidis in 1999 in Massachusetts.

Selbee answered all his critics on this night, and he not only did it in the ring, but he left no doubt in anyone's mind, who won the bout. Oh and for all you critics out there that had doubts about the new IKF Super Heavyweight World Champion, we offer this little reminder reading for you...

"The credit belongs to those people who are actually in the arena...who know the great enthusiasms, the great devotions to a worthy cause; who at best, know the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, fail while daring greatly... so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."  Theodore Roosevelt 

Story credit: IKF Kickboxing