Introducing... Bresson Brel |為您介紹... Bresson Brel | 为您介绍... Bresson Brel

I  have been doing martial arts since I was a little kid. Wushu was my favorite until I started getting some pretty serious injuries. Now I just train in Thai boxing and Western Boxing. If I'm not working, I train everyday. Bresson joined our gym as a trainer almost two years ago. I remember the first day he came in asking for a job. One look and you knew he was a boxer. I have trained with hi many times and I must say they are the toughest workouts ever! Even though I'm an old man now I still can take a tough workout, but with Bresson, I can barely stand by the end of it and I love it! Now our gym is sponsoring him to fight around the region. He will b e fighting in Kunming this weekend and DEF gym will be putting on a WBA title fight in September. If you are a fan of boxing, come down to the fight. Here is a little more info about Bresson and the upcoming fights:

July 12, 2011On Thursday, September 22nd, DEF Promotions will host the first all-professional boxing event in Hong Kong, featuring DEF Boxing’s very own Bresson Brel and Rex Tso.

“I don’t want to quit. I want to give it one more shot.”

Every high-level athlete has big dreams. Basketball prodigies dream of playing in the NBA. Tennis players dream of winning a Grand Slam. Young footballers dream of making it all the way to the Premier League.

Like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Floyd Mayweather Jr., Bresson dreamed of fighting at the Olympics, gaining the adoration of fans, turning pro, then winning a world title. He dreamed of fighting for the Republic of the Congo, of fans chanting his name and cheering him on, and of having a belt around his waist.

I go to DEF Boxing, where I do Muay Thai and boxing. Muay Thai helped me get through my PhD. Nothing takes away stress like hitting the heavy bags, punching some guy in the face, and getting punched in the face.

That’s where I first met Bresson (Lefoumbou NGOMA Bresson Brel) about two years ago.

"The tribe that won the war didn't like my tribe, so they

took me off the Olympic team."

I heard rumours that Bresson almost represented the Republic of the Congo at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, so I ask him why he didn't.

"Oh, that. Well, my country went through a civil war, which ended in 1999. The tribe that won the war didn't like my tribe, so they took me off the Olympic team."

This despite the fact that he was captain of the national boxing team at the tender age of 20, after incredibly joining the team the year before that. Never mind that he was unstoppable at local, regional, then national competitions since he was just 14 years old.

Turning Pro

After being denied a shot at Olympic glory, Bresson continued to kick ass as an amateur boxer. At an international tournament in 2001, he defeated top boxers from Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic.

It was time to turn pro.

Resources can be hard to come by in the Republic of the Congo – Bresson didn’t even have a mouth guard in his first six months as a boxer! Going to South Africa, the richest and most developed country in Africa, was a logical choice.

When Bresson turned pro in 2005, he was once again unstoppable. Always the shorter fighter, Bresson liked to cut his opponents off, then surprise them with punches. Big knockout punches. He won his first six pro fights, five of them by knockout.

All this time, Bresson’s manager and promoters made big promises. “We’re gonna make you rich!” they’d say. “We’re gonna send you to the US! We’re gonna get you a title shot!” But when his contract was about to expire, they offered him a shitty new contract: less money, no US, and no title shot. They were twisting his arm to sign it.

Disillusioned by the broken promises and the betrayal by those he trusted, he lost focus in the ring. After building a perfect 6-0 record, Bresson got a draw in his next fight, then lost the one after that.

Things were going nowhere. He had no choice but to put his dreams aside. He wasn’t going to take it up the ass.

A New Life in Hong Kong

Taking a break from working as a bouncer in South Africa, Bresson travelled around Asia with some relatives. When he got to Hong Kong, he was dying for a workout, and was told that DEF Boxing is a place were serious boxers train. DEF's owner and head coach, Jay Lau, knows world-class talent when he sees it. He saw Bresson's workout and gave him a job on the spot.

"Part of Me Was Missing the Ring, Missing Fighting"

Bresson’s decades of amateur and professional boxing experience and his world-class training techniques quickly gained him a loyal following in Hong Kong. He was happy to teach students who were serious about boxing. Pretty soon, Bresson was making a comfortable living in Hong Kong. But Bresson began to feel that “Part of me was missing the ring, missing fighting.”

One day, he watched a local professional boxing match. He was not impressed. He felt, “I could do this. I can do it better. I want to get back into it, to give it another try.”

So now, after a three year break from professional boxing, Bresson has decided to give it another shot. But at age 32, he’s no spring chicken. If he wants to become a world champion, he’d better do it fast.

A Rough Wake-up Call

To prepare for his big fight in September, Bresson has been competing in exhibition fights. On May 13th, Bresson fought and easily won a match by unanimous decision in Shanghai and felt he was ready for more.

On Tuesday, June 28th, he was given a rough wake-up call when he fought Warren Fuiava, an undefeated Samoan boxer with 15 wins, five by KO.

In round one, Bresson fought like he always did: by cutting the guy off and throwing punches. It seemed like he was going to knock this guy out in the first round. Somehow, the Samoan survived the onslaught. In round two, the tables turned. Bresson began to slow down. Then for the first time in five years, he got hit with a big shot. He stumbled, but didn’t get knocked down. He stayed in the fight and came back in round three, winning the round. But the Samoan, with better conditioning, got the upper hand in rounds four, five, and six. For the first time in Bresson’s career, it wasn’t him doing the cutting off. The Samoan cut him off and put on the pressure.

The Samoan won by decision. And he signed a new contract to fight in Las Vegas.

This was one tough loss for Bresson. "I don't mind losing to an opponent who is better than me. But I do mind losing because I wasn't in top shape."

“When I was a professional boxer in South Africa, all we did was train,” Bresson explained. “We didn’t have to worry about food, housing, or jobs. Boxing was our job. But now, things are different. I have responsibilities now. I’m married now, and have a baby on the way. And I have to worry about my students and the business.”

The scarcity of world-class trainers and sparring partners in Hong Kong also hurt Bresson. He needs full-time trainers who can refine his techniques and tactics and monitor his conditioning. And he needs sparring partners who can push him, who can help him simulate what goes on in the ring.

When one of Bresson’s most dedicated students found out about the loss to the Samoan, he generously decided to partially fund Bresson’s training. With even more support, Bresson may be able to bring in a dedicated trainer, or maybe train outside Hong Kong where there are more trainers and sparring partners of his calibre.

Bresson has always dreamed big, and he came close to achieving them more than once. “I don’t want to quit. I want to give it one more shot,” he says with unwavering determination. But he can’t afford to lose again – another loss would make a chance at a title shot infinitely tougher. If he wants to achieve his dream of becoming a world champ, he must win his fight on September 22nd.

Stayed tuned for the story of Rex Tso and for more details about Thursday Night Fights, September 22nd, 2011

 About the AuthorKen Ho (PhD – HKU; BA, MA –UBC) is a boxing and Muay Thai fan, a freelance writer and editor, and Event Manager and Writer atDEF Promotions.kenho@def.com.hk |

我自小習武。武術曾是我的最愛，直到後來我數次嚴重受傷(才不得不收斂）。現在，我只進行泰式拳擊和西式拳擊的訓練。不工作時，我每天都會進行訓練。 Bresson是兩年前加入我們健身館成為教練的。我記得他第一天上門來找工作的情形，看一眼你就知道他是個拳擊手。我已跟他訓練過多次，我得說這幾次真是最艱苦的訓練了。雖然我現在有點上了年紀了，但我還算能經得起嚴格的訓練。只不過若是跟Bresson練, 到了接近結束時我已經快撐不住了－－我喜歡這種感覺！目前，我們的健身館正贊助他參加拳擊賽事。本週末，他會在昆明打比賽；而九月份，DEF健身館將組織世界拳擊聯合會的拳擊賽事。如果你是個拳擊愛好者，就來關注比賽吧。下面是關於Bresson 以及即將到來之賽事的更多信息：

July 12, 2011

星期四，9月22日， DEF在香港將主持第一個所有專家拳擊活動，FeaturingDEF Boxing非常有 自己特色的 Bresson Brel 和 Rex Tso。

  “我不想放棄。我想給它多一拳。 ”

每位高級運動員有大夢想。 籃球奇蹟的夢想演奏在NBA。 網球員的夢想贏取一次是在全壘打。 年輕足球運動員的夢想就是全力到達Premier League

像Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Floyd Mayweather Jr., Bresson夢想戰鬥在奧運會上，贏得了球迷的崇拜，轉職業選手，然後贏得世界冠軍。他夢想著為剛果共和國戰鬥，球迷高呼他的名字和為他歡呼，並擁有一個腰帶。

我去過DEF拳擊，在那裡我打泰拳和拳擊。泰拳幫我度過我的博士PhD。沒有什麼 方式緩和 壓力比打上那沉重的袋，沖壓一些傢伙的臉，並一拳打在那些傢伙臉上。

這就是我第一次在大約兩年前見到Bresson (Lefoumbou NGOMA Bresson Brel)。

“那部落贏得戰爭卻不喜歡我的部落，所以他們帶我離開國奧隊。”

我聽到傳言說，Bresson在2000年悉尼奧運會幾乎代表了剛果共和國，所以我問他為什麼他沒有。

“哦，那好吧，我的國家經歷了內戰，結束於 1999年，那部落贏得戰爭卻不喜歡我的部落，所以他們帶我離開國奧隊。”

話雖如此，令人難以置信的就在加盟球隊後的一年，在 小小年紀20歲的他是國家拳擊隊的隊長。地方，區域 ，然後全國比賽都不是 問題， 因為他都是不可阻擋的而且他只有14歲。轉為職業在被拒絕在奧運榮耀，Bresson繼續作為一名業餘拳擊手。在一次國際比賽，2001年，他擊敗了從Gabon，剛果民主共和國和中非共和國的前拳擊手。在這一刻，是時候轉為職業!資源在剛果共和國可以是來之不易， Bresson在他的頭六個月 作為一個拳擊手甚至沒有一 個mouth guard。去南非，在非洲最富有和最發達的國家，是一個合乎邏輯的選擇。當Bresson在2005年轉為職業擊手，他再次勢不可擋。始終較短戰鬥機，Bresson喜歡削減他的對手，然後用拳使其措手不及。 Big knockout punches。他贏得了他的 第一個 six pro fights，其中五個擊倒。

這一切，Bresson的經理和 推廣人 員做了一 個的承諾。 “我們要去讓你發財了！”他們說。 “我們要去送你去美國！我們要 讓你奪冠！“但是，當他的合同即將到期，他們給了他一個低劣的新合同：更少的錢，沒有美國，也沒有奪冠。他們盤曲他的胳膊上簽字。失信和背叛那些 使他相信的都幻滅，他在環裡失去重心。在建立了完善的6-0紀錄 之後，Bresson 得到了下一個戰鬥，然後失去了一個在 這之後。

事情陷入了僵局。他沒有選擇，只能把自己的夢想放在一邊。他不打算再次採取它。

在香港的一種新生活

擺脫在南非作為保鏢的工作，Bresson與一些親戚走遍亞洲。當他到香港，他是垂死的鍛煉，並被告知DEF拳擊是一個地方都是嚴肅拳手訓練。 當DEF的老闆和主教練，Jay Lau看到它就知道是世界一流的人才。他看到Bresson的鍛煉，給了他工作的地方。

“我缺少部分的環，缺少戰鬥”

Bresson的幾十年的業餘和職業拳擊的經驗和他的世界一流的培訓技術，在香港很快贏得了他忠實的追隨者。他高興地教給認真地學拳的學生。很快，Bressonv在香港感到舒適的居住。但Bresson 開始覺得“我缺少部分的環，缺少戰鬥”

有一天，他觀看了當地的職業拳擊比賽。他沒有留下深刻的印象。他覺得，“我能做到這一點。我可以做的更好。我想回去嘗試。

所以現在，經過三年擺脫職業拳擊，Bresson決定嘗試。但在32歲，不再年輕。如果他想成為世界冠軍，他最好 要快。為了準備在九月大場，Bresson的競爭已經在展覽戰鬥。 5月13日， Bresson戰鬥，在上海輕鬆地贏得了比賽的一致決定，覺得他準備好了。

6月28日，星期二，當他打 Warren Fuiava,一個不敗薩摩亞拳手與 15勝，五個 KO。 他得到一個 緊急的電話喚醒。在首輪，Bresson他總是喜歡打拳：削減傢伙和投擲拳。這似乎在第一輪是他要敲這個傢伙。不知怎的猛攻猛攻Samoan 生存了。在第二輪中，表打開了。Bresson 開始放緩。那麼對於第一次在五年內，他得到了一個很大的擊中。他跌跌撞撞的，但沒有撞倒。他住在打，回來後在第三輪，贏得了一輪。但是 Samoan，具 有較好的調節，在第四輪得勢，五和六。這是第一次在 Bresson的職業生涯，這是不是他做切斷。 Samoan打斷了他，並給予壓力。Samoan 贏得了決定。他簽署了一份新合同，v爭取在拉斯維加斯舉行。

這是Bresson一個艱難的虧損。 “我不介意輸給比我更好的對手，但我不介意因為我沒有在最佳狀態輸。”“當我在南非是一個職業拳擊手，所有我們所做的是訓練。”Bresson解釋。 “我們不擔心吃，住，或工作。拳擊是我們的工作。但現在，情況就不同了。現在我有責任。現在我已經結婚，並生了孩子。而且我擔心我的學生和企業。“            

              稀缺性的世界級教練和陪練夥伴在香港也傷害Bresson。他需要全職教練可以改進他的技              術，戰術和 管理他的調 整。他需要陪練夥伴可以推 動他，可以幫助他模擬一下那在環的 情              況。

當Bresson其 中一 個最熱忱的學生發現有關Samoan的損失，他慷慨地決定將部分資金 投資 Bresson的培訓。隨著更多的支持， Bresson可能 可以帶來一個專門的教練，也許香港以外的地方训练有更多的教練和陪練夥伴的才幹。

Bresson一直夢想 很大，他不止一次差點實現他們。 “我不想放棄。我想給它多一拳。 ” 他堅定決心 地說。

但他不能再失去 - 再虧損將使奪冠的機會 變得無限艰苦。如果他想實現他的夢想成為世界冠軍，他必須贏得他9月22日的戰鬥 。請繼續關注 Rex Tso故事及週四2011年9月22日 晚上戰鬥詳情。

 About the AuthorKen Ho (PhD – HKU; BA, MA –UBC) is a boxing and Muay Thai fan, a freelance writer and editor, and Event Manager and Writer atDEF Promotions.kenho@def.com.hk

我自小习武。武术曾是我的最爱，直到后来我数次严重受伤(才不得不收敛）。现在，我只进行泰式拳击和西式拳击的训练。不工作时，我每天都会进行训练。Bresson是两年前加入我们健身馆成为教练的。我记得他第一天上门来找工作的情形，看一眼你就知道他是个拳击手。我已跟他训练过多次，我得说这几次真是最艰苦的训练了。虽然我现在有点上了年纪了，但我还算能经得起严格的训练。只不过若是跟Bresson练, 到了接近结束时我已经快撑不住了－－我喜欢这种感觉！目前，我们的健身馆正赞助他参加拳击赛事。本周末，他会在昆明打比赛；而九月份，DEF健身馆将组织世界拳击联合会的拳击赛事。如果你是个拳击爱好者，就来关注比赛吧。下面是关于Bresson 以及即将到来之赛事的更多信息：

July 12, 2011 星期四，9月22日， DEF在香港将主持第一个所有专家拳击活动，FeaturingDEF Boxing非常有 自己特色的 Bresson Brel 和 Rex Tso。   “我不想放弃。我想给它多一拳。 ” 每位高级运动员有大梦想。 篮球奇蹟的梦想演奏在NBA。 网球员的梦想赢取一次是在全垒打。 年轻足球运动员的梦想就是全力到达Premier League 像Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Floyd Mayweather Jr., Bresson梦想战斗在奥运会上，赢得了球迷的崇拜，转职业选手，然后赢得世界冠军。他梦想着为刚果共和国战斗，球迷高呼他的名字和为他欢呼，并拥有一个腰带。 我去过DEF拳击，在那裡我打泰拳和拳击。泰拳帮我度过我的博士PhD。没有什麽 方式缓和 压力比打上那沉重的袋，冲压一些傢伙的脸，并一拳打在那些傢伙脸上。

这就是我第一次在大约两年前见到Bresson (Lefoumbou NGOMA Bresson Brel)。 “那部落赢得战争却不喜欢我的部落，所以他们带我离开国奥队。” 我听到传言说，Bresson在2000年悉尼奥运会几乎代表了刚果共和国，所以我问他为什麽他没有。

“哦，那好吧，我的国家经历了内战，结束于 1999年，那部落赢得战争却不喜欢我的部落，所以他们带我离开国奥队。” 话虽如此，令人难以置信的就在加盟球队后的一年，在 小小年纪20岁的他是国家拳击队的队长。地方，区域 ，然后全国比赛都不是 问题， 因为他都是不可阻挡的而且他只有14岁。转为职业在被拒绝在奥运荣耀，Bresson继续作为一名业馀拳击手。在一次国际比赛，2001年，他击败了从Gabon，刚果民主共和国和中非共和国的前拳击手。在这一刻，是时候转为职业!资源在刚果共和国可以是来之不易， Bresson在他的头六个月 作为一个拳击手甚至没有一 个mouth guard。去南非，在非洲最富有和最发达的国家，是一个合乎逻辑的选择。当Bresson在2005年转为职业击手，他再次势不可挡。始终较短战斗机，Bresson喜欢削减他的对手，然后用拳使其措手不及。 Big knockout punches。他赢得了他的 第一个 six pro fights，其中五个击倒。 这一切，Bresson的经理和 推广人 员做了一 个的承诺。 “我们要去让你发财了！”他们说。 “我们要去送你去美国！我们要 让你夺冠！“但是，当他的合同即将到期，他们给了他一个低劣的新合同：更少的钱，没有美国，也没有夺冠。他们盘曲他的胳膊上签字。失信和背叛那些 使他相信的都幻灭，他在环裡失去重心。在建立了完善的6-0纪录 之后，Bresson 得到了下一个战斗，然后失去了一个在 这之后。 事情陷入了僵局。他没有选择，只能把自己的梦想放在一边。他不打算再次採取它。

在香港的一种新生活

摆脱在南非作为保镖的工作，Bresson与一些亲戚走遍亚洲。当他到香港，他是垂死的锻炼，并被告知DEF拳击是一个地方都是严肃拳手训练。 当DEF的老闆和主教练，Jay Lau看到它就知道是世界一流的人才。他看到Bresson的锻炼，给了他工作的地方。

“我缺少部分的环，缺少战斗”

Bresson的几十年的业馀和职业拳击的经验和他的世界一流的培训技术，在香港很快赢得了他忠实的追随者。他高兴地教给认真地学拳的学生。很快，Bressonv在香港感到舒适的居住。但Bresson 开始觉得“我缺少部分的环，缺少战斗”

有一天，他观看了当地的职业拳击比赛。他没有留下深刻的印象。他觉得， “我能做到这一点。我可以做的更好。我想回去尝试。

所以现在，经过三年摆脱职业拳击，Bresson决定尝试。但在32岁，不再年轻。如果他想成为世界冠军，他最好 要快。为了准备在九月大场，Bresson的竞争已经在展览战斗。 5月13日， Bresson战斗，在上海轻鬆地赢得了比赛的一致决定，觉得他准备好了。 6月28日，星期二，当他打 Warren Fuiava,一个不败萨摩亚拳手与 15胜，五个 KO。 他得到一个 紧急的电话唤醒。在首轮，Bresson他总是喜欢打拳：削减傢伙和投掷拳。这似乎在第一轮是他要敲这个傢伙。不知怎的勐攻勐攻Samoan 生存了。在第二轮中，表打开了。Bresson 开始放缓。那麽对于第一次在五年内，他得到了一个很大的击中。他跌跌撞撞的，但没有撞倒。他住在打，回来后在第三轮，赢得了一轮。但是 Samoan，具有较好的调节，在第四轮得势，五和六。这是第一次在 Bresson的职业生涯，这是不是他做切断。 Samoan打断了他，并给予压力。Samoan 赢得了决定。他签署了一份新合同，v争取在拉斯维加斯举行。 这是Bresson一个艰难的亏损。 “我不介意输给比我更好的对手，但我不介意因为我没有在最佳状态输。”“当我在南非是一个职业拳击手，所有我们所做的是训练。”Bresson解释。 “我们不担心吃，住，或工作。拳击是我们的工作。但现在，情况就不同了。现在我有责任。现在我已经结婚，并生了孩子。而且我担心我的学生和企业。 “            

              稀缺性的世界级教练和陪练伙伴在香港也伤害Bresson。他需要全职教练可以改进他的技              术，战术和 管理他的调 整。他需要陪练伙伴可以推 动他，可以帮助他模拟一下那在环的 情              况。 当Bresson其 中一 个最热忱的学生发现有关Samoan的损失，他慷慨地决定将部分资金 投资 Bresson的培训。随着更多的支持， Bresson可能 可以带来一个专门的教练，也许香港以外的地方训练有更多的教练和陪练伙伴的才干。 Bresson一直梦想 很大，他不止一次差点实现他们。 “我不想放弃。我想给它多一拳。 ” 他坚定决心 地说。

但他不能再失去 - 再亏损将使夺冠的机会 变得无限艰苦。如果他想实现他的梦想成为世界冠军，他必须赢得他9月22日的战斗 。请继续关注 Rex Tso故事及週四2011年9月22日 晚上战斗详情。  About the Author Ken Ho (PhD – HKU; BA, MA –UBC) is a boxing and Muay Thai fan, a freelance writer and editor, and Event Manager and Writer atDEF Promotions.kenho@def.com.hk|I  have been doing martial arts since I was a little kid. Wushu was my favorite until I started getting some pretty serious injuries. Now I just train in Thai boxing and Western Boxing. If I'm not working, I train everyday. Bresson joined our gym as a trainer almost two years ago. I remember the first day he came in asking for a job. One look and you knew he was a boxer. I have trained with hi many times and I must say they are the toughest workouts ever! Even though I'm an old man now I still can take a tough workout, but with Bresson, I can barely stand by the end of it and I love it! Now our gym is sponsoring him to fight around the region. He will b e fighting in Kunming this weekend and DEF gym will be putting on a WBA title fight in September. If you are a fan of boxing, come down to the fight. Here is a little more info about Bresson and the upcoming fights:

July 12, 2011

On Thursday, September 22nd, DEF Promotions will host the first all-professional boxing event in Hong Kong, featuring DEF Boxing’s very own Bresson Brel and Rex Tso.

“I don’t want to quit. I want to give it one more shot.”Every high-level athlete has big dreams. Basketball prodigies dream of playing in the NBA. Tennis players dream of winning a Grand Slam. Young footballers dream of making it all the way to the Premier League.

Like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Floyd Mayweather Jr., Bresson dreamed of fighting at the Olympics, gaining the adoration of fans, turning pro, then winning a world title. He dreamed of fighting for the Republic of the Congo, of fans chanting his name and cheering him on, and of having a belt around his waist.I go to DEF Boxing, where I do Muay Thai and boxing. Muay Thai helped me get through my PhD. Nothing takes away stress like hitting the heavy bags, punching some guy in the face, and getting punched in the face.

That’s where I first met Bresson (Lefoumbou NGOMA Bresson Brel) about two years ago.

"The tribe that won the war didn't like my tribe, so they

took me off the Olympic team."

I heard rumours that Bresson almost represented the Republic of the Congo at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, so I ask him why he didn't.

              "Oh, that. Well, my country went through a civil war, 

which ended in 1999. The tribe that won the war didn't like my tribe, so they took me off the Olympic team."

              This despite the fact that he was captain of the 

national boxing team at the tender age of 20, after incredibly joining the team the year before that. Never mind that he was unstoppable at local, regional, then national competitions since he was just 14 years old.

Turning Pro

              After being denied a shot at Olympic glory, Bresson 

continued to kick ass as an amateur boxer. At an international tournament in 2001, he defeated top boxers from Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic.

              It was time to turn pro.





              Resources can be hard to come by in the Republic of 

the Congo – Bresson didn’t even have a mouth guard in his first six months as a boxer! Going to South Africa, the richest and most developed country in Africa, was a logical choice.

              When Bresson turned pro in 2005, he was once again 

unstoppable. Always the shorter fighter, Bresson liked to cut his opponents off, then surprise them with punches. Big knockout punches. He won his first six pro fights, five of them by knockout.

All this time, Bresson’s manager and promoters made big promises. “We’re gonna make you rich!” they’d say. “We’re gonna send you to the US! We’re gonna get you a title shot!” But when his contract was about to expire, they offered him a shitty new contract: less money, no US, and no title shot. They were twisting his arm to sign it.

              Disillusioned by the broken promises and the betrayal 

by those he trusted, he lost focus in the ring. After building a perfect 6-0 record, Bresson got a draw in his next fight, then lost the one after that.

              Things were going nowhere. He had no choice but to put

his dreams aside. He wasn’t going to take it up the ass.

A New Life in Hong Kong

              Taking a break from working as a bouncer in South 

Africa, Bresson travelled around Asia with some relatives. When he got to Hong Kong, he was dying for a workout, and was told that DEF Boxing is a place were serious boxers train. DEF's owner and head coach, Jay Lau, knows world-class talent when he sees it. He saw Bresson's workout and gave him a job on the spot.

"Part of Me Was Missing the Ring, Missing Fighting"

              Bresson’s decades of amateur and professional boxing 

experience and his world-class training techniques quickly gained him a loyal following in Hong Kong. He was happy to teach students who were serious about boxing. Pretty soon, Bresson was making a comfortable living in Hong Kong. But Bresson began to feel that “Part of me was missing the ring, missing fighting.”

              One day, he watched a local professional boxing match.

He was not impressed. He felt, “I could do this. I can do it better. I want to get back into it, to give it another try.”

So now, after a three year break from professional boxing, Bresson has decided to give it another shot. But at age 32, he’s no spring chicken. If he wants to become a world champion, he’d better do it fast.

A Rough Wake-up Call

To prepare for his big fight in September, Bresson has been competing in exhibition fights. On May 13th, Bresson fought and easily won a match by unanimous decision in Shanghai and felt he was ready for more.

On Tuesday, June 28th, he was given a rough wake-up call when he fought Warren Fuiava, an undefeated Samoan boxer with 15 wins, five by KO.

In round one, Bresson fought like he always did: by cutting the guy off and throwing punches. It seemed like he was going to knock this guy out in the first round. Somehow, the Samoan survived the onslaught. In round two, the tables turned. Bresson began to slow down. Then for the first time in five years, he got hit with a big shot. He stumbled, but didn’t get knocked down. He stayed in the fight and came back in round three, winning the round. But the Samoan, with better conditioning, got the upper hand in rounds four, five, and six. For the first time in Bresson’s career, it wasn’t him doing the cutting off. The Samoan cut him off and put on the pressure.

The Samoan won by decision. And he signed a new contract to fight in Las Vegas.

This was one tough loss for Bresson. "I don't mind losing to an opponent who is better than me. But I do mind losing because I wasn't in top shape."

“When I was a professional boxer in South Africa, all we did was train,” Bresson explained. “We didn’t have to worry about food, housing, or jobs. Boxing was our job. But now, things are different. I have responsibilities now. I’m married now, and have a baby on the way. And I have to worry about my students and the business.”

The scarcity of world-class trainers and sparring partners in Hong Kong also hurt Bresson. He needs full-time trainers who can refine his techniques and tactics and monitor his conditioning. And he needs sparring partners who can push him, who can help him simulate what goes on in the ring.

When one of Bresson’s most dedicated students found out about the loss to the Samoan, he generously decided to partially fund Bresson’s training. With even more support, Bresson may be able to bring in a dedicated trainer, or maybe train outside Hong Kong where there are more trainers and sparring partners of his calibre.

Bresson has always dreamed big, and he came close to achieving them more than once. “I don’t want to quit. I want to give it one more shot,” he says with unwavering determination. But he can’t afford to lose again – another loss would make a chance at a title shot infinitely tougher. If he wants to achieve his dream of becoming a world champ, he must win his fight on September 22nd.

Stayed tuned for the story of Rex Tso and for more details about Thursday Night Fights, September 22nd, 2011

 About the Author

Ken Ho (PhD – HKU; BA, MA –UBC) is a boxing and Muay Thai fan, a freelance writer and editor, and Event Manager and Writer atDEF Promotions.kenho@def.com.hk