A name that can not be omitted when talking about the evolution in the practice of martial arts and contact struggles in general in our country is that of Grand Master Evilázio Feitoza.

One of I.S.K.A. (International Sport Kickboxing Association), Grand Master Evilázio moved to the United States where he set up a well-structured gym in New York (Long Island, Suffolk County).

Currently his name has already become a successful reference in Brazil and other countries in South America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, where he is always asked for his credentials.

Competent coach, Feitoza (who is also a black belt 8th Dan of Kickboxing and 14 ° Khan of Muay Thai among other graduations in different martial arts), has already discovered and launched several fighters for high level competitions around the world among these Thiago “Pitbull” Alves, (currently fighter of the UFC), Paulo Guerreiro and Andrezinho Nogueira, and already have already worked with high-performance athletes and competitors of the size of Jorge Patino “Macaco”, “The Pedro”, James Adler, Ricardo Freire, Gabriel Napão and Assuério Silva. others.

Recently, Feitoza received a nice tribute, which was given to her by an athlete from her circle of friends.

We are talking about Fernando Fernandes, a former world champion, European, Iberian and Portuguese Kickboxing, who launched his autobiographical book “Ser Champion – In the ring as in life” a little over a year ago, having dedicated a chapter to the Grand Master Evilázio, since the friendship between both already lasts.

The first contact between the two occurred in the early 1990s, on the occasion of a trip from Feitoza to Portugal, from where he brought the representation of I.S.K.A. for our country, after an intensive, technical and tactical stage in the academy of the Portuguese champion.

On the occasion, Grand Master Evilázio was also the news in several Portuguese newspapers, such as ‘Correio da Manhã’, ‘Gazeta dos Desportos’ and ‘Sporting’, with the content to report to Lusitanos the stay of the Brazilian champion in Portugal and the exchange, from there, that would be signed with Brazil.

As for Fernando Fernandes, his curriculum speaks for itself. As an amateur athlete he was national Kickboxing Champion in 1990 and 1991 and European Champion. As professional, he was national champion in 1992, 1993 and 1994, European champion in 1991 and 1993, and Intercontinental and world champion in 1994, always in the category of – 76 kg, this last title conquered in a combat carried out in the Ship of Alvalade.

In all, Fernandes made 123 fights, with 84 wins of which 19 by KO, 34 losses and 5 draws. In the book “Being Champion – In the ring as in life”, there is also a chapter dedicated to the 1st Intercontinental Tournament I.S.K.A. in Brazil promoted by the Grand Master Evilazio Feitoza on October 30, 1994, in the premises of the Gymnasium of Pacaembú, in São Paulo-SP.

At that time, Fernando Fernandes brilliantly won the intercontinental title against Brazilian José Ricardo Freire (6 times Brazilian Total Contact Champion and South American Champion of an open martial arts tournament held in Argentina), by KO 1 minute and 10 seconds 2 round The following year, more precisely on June 24, Evilázio would promote the 1st Open Brazil of Free Style Kickboxing, at the Toco Dance Club in São Paulo. The tournament became a milestone in the history of contact struggles in Brazil for designing nationally beasts of the size of Wanderley Silva, José “Pelé” Landy John’s (both from Chute Boxe -PR), Ebenezer Fontes Braga (Boxing Thai-RJ), James Adler (from Maranhão), Pablo Rex (Rio de Janeiro) and José Wilson Xavier (from Rio Grande do Norte, but fighting for São Paulo) along with others already attracted by the R $ 3,500 prize money awarded to the winner of each weight category.

This time, the Portuguese champion Fernando Fernandes (who fought with Brazilian citizenship) lost points to “Pelé”, who later consecrated the Chute Boxe team in MMA competitions.

The reader will be able to find out the details of the confrontations of Fernando, as well as the curiosities behind the scenes, as well as the beautiful homage given to the Grand Master Evilazio Feitoza, when acquiring this literary work, whose information we will make available below. Still about the launch of his autobiographical book, Fernandes – who also holds a 5th Dan graduation (black belt) and 4th grade coach – was thus expressed: “It’s a project that was in my mind for 20 years. It is a book that recounts the dedication and hard work necessary for all athletes to break down barriers. Thanks to this direction, where everyone was interested in collaborating, the dream that was kept was born. ” – Declared Fernando Fernandes, who is one of the symbols of Sporting Clube de Portugal, being also one of the athletes and coaches with greater longevity in the green and white club, for which he entered with 25 years. Sporting Clube de Portugal is one of the “Big Three” football clubs of Portugal, eclectic and multi-sport, founded on July 1, 1906, based in Lisbon, Complex Alvalade XXI.

Fernandes is the main responsible for the Kickboxing training school at Sporting, an authentic factory of champions in this modality.

The book “Being Champion – In the ring as in life” was officially launched on January 12, 2017 at the Sporting Museum, with the presence of the SCP Board of Directors, Portuguese Sport and Youth Institute and Portuguese Kickboxing Federation and MuayThai. many members and friends of Kickboxing.

The book is already on sale in the Green Store in printed and online formats and can be purchased through the same or also through platforms such as Kombat Press, sites such as http://kickboxingscp.com or in the Fan Page of the book on Facebook.

P.S .: To order – The book “Being Champion – In the ring as in life” can also be purchased by the link below: www.fnac.pt/mp9430806/Ser-campeao-no-ringue-as-in-life-book * Source / Credits: Contributor Oriosvaldo Costa