Mark Miller (kickboxer)

Last updated
Mark Miller
BornMark Jason Miller
(1971-09-17) September 17, 1971 (age 52)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Other namesFightshark, Meat Missle, The Shark
Nationality Flag of the United States.svg American
Height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight230 lb (100 kg; 16 st)
Division Heavyweight
Style Kickboxing, Muay Thai
Fighting out of Los Angeles, California, U.S.
TeamIron City Gym
Team Fightshark
Golden Glory
TrainerJim Gardner
Rick Roufus
Kickboxing record
Total24
Wins15
Losses8
Draws1
Last updated on: October 6, 2012

Mark Jason Miller [1] (born September 17, 1971) is an American kickboxer who competes in the heavyweight division.

Contents

Biography and career

Early life

Miller grew up in Greensburg, Pennsylvania and became involved with martial arts through his love of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris films. His father sent him to a boxing gym at a young age, and he also practiced Tang Soo Do, Hapkido, Uechi-ryu and Taekwondo as a child. He began competing in amateur boxing at the age of 18. [2]

He later began Muay Thai and trained and fought in Thailand. [3]

Career

Mark Miller made his debut in the K-1 promotion in August 2000 at K-1 USA Championships 2000 , where he lost to Tommy Glanville via unanimous decision. He re-matched with Glanville in May the following year at K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Preliminary USA , and avenged his loss with a split decision victory. In February 2002, he took part in the Grand Prix at K-1 World Grand Prix 2002 Preliminary North America and lost to Canada's Giuseppe DeNatale in the first round. This was to be his last bout in K-1.

In 2006, Miller was set to compete in a bout for the S-1 Muay Thai promotion in Miami, Florida. However, he failed the Florida Athletic Commission's medical test due to a heart condition. According to the specialists, Miller was having a fifteen percent cardiac output along with an enlarged heart. [4] In 2007, he had heart surgery due to the condition. [5]

He made his return to the ring on May 28, 2011 at United Glory 14: 2010-2011 World Series Finals in Moscow, Russia against Nikolaj Falin. Miller knocked Falin out with a right hook nine seconds into the first round. Following this match, Miller joined the famous Golden Glory gym in the Netherlands. [6]

He faced Koichi Pettas at Glory 2: Brussels on October 6, 2012 in Brussels, Belgium [7] and lost via KO in the second round. [8]

Kickboxing record

Kickboxing record
15 Wins, 8 Losses, 1 Draw
DateResultOpponentEventLocationMethodRoundTime
2012-10-06Loss Flag of Japan.svg Koichi Pettas Glory 2: Brussels Brussels, Belgium KO (Right Cross)2
2012-03-23Loss Flag of Russia.svg Sergei Kharitonov United Glory 15 Moscow, Russia KO (Right Hook)11:59
2011-05-28Win Flag of Russia.svg Nikolaj Falin United Glory 14: 2010-2011 World Series Finals Moscow, Russia KO (right hook)10:09
2002-02-09Loss Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Giuseppe DeNatale K-1 World Grand Prix 2002 Preliminary North America, Quarter Finals Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA TKO22:07
2001-08-11Loss Flag of the United States.svg Dewey Cooper K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 in Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada, USA TKO2
2001-05-05Win Flag of the United States.svg Tommy Glanville K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Preliminary USA Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Decision (split)53:00
2000-08-05Loss Flag of the United States.svg Tommy Glanville K-1 USA Championships 2000 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Decision (unanimous)33:00
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw/No contest   Notes

Personal life

Miller's memoir Pain Don't Hurt: Fighting Inside and Outside the Ring was published in 2014 by Ecco Press, an imprint of HarperCollins curated by chef and author Anthony Bourdain. The book, co-written with Miller's longtime corner woman Shelby Jones, tells of his origins in a troubled family, heart surgery, struggles with addiction, and his kickboxing career. Kirkus Reviews described the book as "thoughtful but unsentimental" and "a force to be reckoned with". [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buakaw Banchamek</span> Thai kickboxer

Sombat Banchamek a.k.a. Buakaw Banchamek is a professional Muay Thai fighter and kickboxer from Thailand of ethnic Kuy descent, who formerly fought out of Por. Pramuk Gym, in Bangkok, Thailand, under the ring name Buakaw Por. Pramuk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jérôme Le Banner</span> French kickboxer

Jérôme Philippe Le Banner is a French kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and professional wrestler. Le Banner fought for most of his career in K-1 and became known for his aggressive fighting style and knockout power. He is a 2-time K-1 World Grand Prix runner up, a 2-time K-1 Preliminary Grand Prix champion, and is a multiple time world champion in Kickboxing and Muay Thai. He holds notable victories over Ernesto Hoost (twice), Francisco Filho, Mark Hunt, Sam Greco, Mike Bernardo (twice), Peter Aerts, Rick Roufus, Remy Bonjasky, Tyrone Spong, Stefan Leko (twice), Masaaki Satake, Maurice Smith, Gary Goodridge (twice), Musashi (twice), Cyril Abidi and Choi Hong-man (twice).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remy Bonjasky</span> Surinamese-Dutch former kickboxer

Remy Kenneth Bonjasky is a Surinamese-Dutch former kickboxer. He is a three-time K-1 World Grand Prix heavyweight champion, winning the title in 2003, 2004, and 2008. He is widely considered one of the greatest kickboxers of all time. Bonjasky has been known for his flying kicks, knee attacks and strong defense, hence the nickname "The Flying Gentleman".

Yoshihiro Sato is a Japanese kickboxer competing in K-1 at middleweight (−70 kg). He is the former world champion of Muay Thai in WKA and WPKC, and he won the Japanese national tournament of K-1 twice in 2006 and 2007. His official nickname is "Mugen Sniper" which means Infinite Sniper.

Kristopher Lee "Kit" Cope is an American Muay Thai kickboxer and mixed martial artist who competes in the Featherweight, Lightweight, and Welterweight divisions. A four-time professional Muay Thai World Champion, Cope also fought in the K-1, Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting promotions.

Nathan "Carnage" Corbett is a retired Australian Muay Thai kickboxer, color commentator for Lion Fight Promotions on CBS Sports and feature author at Fightmag. He is a former 11-time Muay Thai World Champion, and is one of the most decorated heavyweights in the history of Muay Thai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrone Spong</span> Surinamese martial artist

Tyrone Clinton Spong is a Surinamese-Dutch professional boxer and mixed martial artist and former kickboxer. As a boxer, he held the WBC and WBO Latino heavyweight titles in 2018. In kickboxing, he is the former WFCA cruiserweight champion, Glory 95kg Slam Champion and It's Showtime 95MAX World champion.

Stefan Leko is a German heavyweight kickboxer. He is the current WKA Super-Heavyweight world champion in kickboxing, and former Muay Thai world super-heavyweight champion and Kickboxing world super-heavyweight champion, WMTA, WKN, IKBO, IKBF, and WKA world champion, K-1 European Grand Prix 1998 champion, 1999 K-1 Dream champion and two time K-1 World Grand Prix in Las Vegas tournament champion. He fights out of Team Golden Glory in Breda, Netherlands under Cor Hemmers. Since 2011 Stefan Leko is coached and managed by Tom Trautsch and won two Heavyweight World Champion Titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erhan Deniz</span> Turkish kickboxer

Erhan "Pitbull Attack" Deniz is a Turkish heavyweight kickboxer, who fights out of Mejiro Gym (Amsterdam) and Global Gym (Istanbul). His nickname comes from his passion on pit bull dogs.

Warren "Chaka Zulu" Stevelmans is a South African kickboxer, fighting out of Vos Gym in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He is the K-1 MAX Netherlands 2008 tournament champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gökhan Saki</span> Dutch kickboxer and mixed martial arts fighter

Gökhan Saki is a Turkish-Dutch kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He is a Dutch, European and World Muay Thai champion, K-1 World GP 2006 in Amsterdam tournament finalist, K-1 World Grand Prix 2008 in Hawaii champion and former Glory Light Heavyweight Champion. Saki also competed in the light heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anderson Silva (kickboxer)</span> Brazilian heavyweight kickboxer (born 1986)

Anderson Manoel da Silva, better known as Anderson Braddock, is a Brazilian heavyweight kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He has competed in the It's Showtime, K-1, SUPERKOMBAT, ONE Championship, and GLORY.

Mohamed "Real fighter" aka Machine Khamal is a Dutch-Moroccan welterweight Muay Thai kickboxer who fought out of Amsterdam, Netherlands for Vos Gym. He is the K-1 World MAX 2010 West Europe champion, who competed in K-1 MAX and It's Showtime.

Grégory Tony is a French heavyweight kickboxer and professional boxer fighting out of Paris. He is three time French kickboxing champion, three time French muaythai champion, one time French boxing champion, two time European kickboxing champion, one time Intercontinental muaythai champion and two time muaythai world champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Igor Jurković</span> Croatian kickboxer

Igor Jurković is a Croatian heavyweight kickboxer fighting out of Poreč, Croatia. He was 6 times Croatian national champion 2004, 2005, 2006 in Thai boxing, and kickboxing champion 2005 in full contact, 2005 and 2006 in low kick rules, and also was sparring partner of Mirko Cro Cop. He has fought in K-1 and he is under contract with Glory promotion.

Dewey Cooper is an American former kickboxer and boxer who competed in the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. After becoming a two-time world champion in 2000 by taking the WKC heavyweight and WKF cruiserweight titles, he would go on to become a regular competitor in the K-1 promotion's US events. He came close to winning a K-1 Grand Prix Tournament when he defeated Nobu Hayashi and Samoan power puncher Mighty Mo, but lost out to Michael McDonald in the final of the K-1 World Grand Prix 2004 in Las Vegas I all in the same night.

Bogdan Cristian Stoica is a Romanian professional kickboxer and boxer, and former wushu practitioner. Stoica is also one-time SUPERKOMBAT Cruiserweight Champion, one-time Enfusion Light Heavyweight and two-time wushu national champion. He was also ranked as a top-10 middleweight in the world for several years by LiverKick.com, CombatPress.com and GloryKickboxing.com. He has competed for GLORY, ONE Championship, SUPERKOMBAT Fighting Championship, Enfusion, Wu Lin Feng and Glory of Heroes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ky Hollenbeck</span> American kickboxer

Ky Conrad Hollenbeck is an American Muay Thai kickboxer who competes in the middleweight division. He won national and North American titles as an amateur in his teens before turning professional in 2007 and beating Billy Evangelista for the California state belt. He soon began competing internationally and rose to prominence when he took a decision victory over Steve Moxon in the final of a four-man tournament in 2010. The following year, Hollenbeck outpointed Gregory Choplin for the WBC Muaythai Interim World Middleweight Championship and then debuted in the Glory promotion in May 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Filip Verlinden</span> Belgian kickboxer (born 1982)

Filip Verlinden is a Belgian kickboxer who competes in the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. Verlinden was introduced to the sport at an early age and came to prominence in 2008 when he won the WKA European Super Cruiserweight Muay Thai Championship, followed by the WKA World Cruiserweight title the following year. He then took the gold medal at the 2010 IFMA World Championships in the +91 kg/200 lb division as an amateur before a short stint in the It's Showtime promotion where he unsuccessfully challenged Danyo Ilunga for the It's Showtime 95MAX Championship in June 2012. Later that year, he joined Glory.

Jordan Watson is an English Muay Thai kickboxer who competes in the middleweight division. A powerful kicker, Watson began training in Muay Thai at six years old with Richard Smith at Bad Company, Leeds, UK and first came to prominence when he reached the final of the K-1 UK MAX Tournament 2007 Pain & Glory at nineteen. He won the ISKA World Super Welterweight Muay Thai Championship in 2010 and then found further recognition the following year by finishing as runner-up on The Challenger Muay Thai reality television show. He began fighting for Glory in 2012. He is the first ever and current Yokkao -70 kg champion.

References

  1. ↑ NSAC report of K-1 USA Championships 2000 Archived 2014-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ Mark Miller Bio and Photos Archived 2011-06-30 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Mark Miller and the Iron City Gym Archived 2011-05-17 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Finally, the Heart-Champ Makes His Return! Archived 2011-05-31 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ HKL Exclusive with Mark "Fight Shark" Miller Part 1: Early Career and Heart Surgery
  6. ↑ Mark "Fightshark" Miller joins Team Golden Glory
  7. ↑ "Glory 2: Brussels final fight card for this Saturday". Archived from the original on 2014-01-16. Retrieved 2012-10-04.
  8. ↑ Glory 2: Brussels live results
  9. ↑ "PAIN Don't HURT | Kirkus Reviews".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.