Stalybridge slap fighter prepares for professional showdown

It was just a couple of generations ago that competitive combat sports meant boxing and little else. 

Those who enjoy the exhilarating spectacle of two athletes proving in the ring who is the tougher and more resilient physically and mentally are now spoilt for choice with kickboxing, Thai boxing, MMA, Taekwando and other disciplines offering popular entertainment.  

Now slap fighting is claiming what for exponents is its rightful place.

“It’s quite simple. A participant aims to land clean, powerful, and controlled open hand strikes while absorbing strikes from their opponent,” said Josh Skeete, a Taekwando black belt who set up Britain’s only professional slap fighting promotion Britslap in 2021. 

“BritSlap gives British slap fighters a professional platform to compete at the highest level. We were trailblazers having established ourselves a year before Dana White of UFC fame launched PowerSlap, now the largest slap fighting promotion globally. We’re proud to collaborate to obtain greater exposure and experience for our fighters including Louis ‘Razor’ Robinson who travels to Riyadh shortly to compete on PowerSlap 17.”

Father of two young daughters and a lift engineer by day, twenty-nine-year-old Robinson from Stalybridge trains with James Reed at Reed’s gym Resilience Martial Arts. 

He’ll be the first heavyweight professional UK slap fighter to compete on White’s US-based promotion. 

“I liked boxing training as a child and later MMA and competed as a schoolboy shotputter,” said Robinson. 

“I came across slap fighting online during lockdown and signed up to Britslap. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of a barrel having my first bout. I quickly found the accompanying adrenaline rush addictive and each match offers a controlled outlet for aggression which many people need. I’ve now won my three bouts with two first round knockouts.”

Robinson’s training for the Riyadh event has been intense. “I’ve thrown myself into a slap-based training camp with almost daily sessions. People say there’s no way for a fighter to defend against a powerful slap. In fact, your body prepares for the strike. You learn correct bracing posture and train neck, traps and rhomboids to increase neck strength as well as using the body’s own momentum as you roll with the shot to reduce its impact. Of course, it also helps to have a strong chin and that’s down to genetics.

“Slap fighters also learn the techniques to generate the most force within the rules such as not being allowed to pivot the feet which decreases power.  There are techniques to overcome this but they’re my trade secrets. The sport remains fresh as everyone develops their own striking style. It’s 50/50 strike and defend and success comes from skill in both elements. Anyone who thinks you just throw a super hard slap quickly finds much more is required.”

The final word is Skeete’s. “To succeed in Riyadh Louis has refined his slap technique and honed his mental and physical conditioning. Strategy, timing, and resilience throughout will be critical. It’s a combination of skill, preparation and mindset that makes a successful slap fighter. We’re confident that facing his opponent Louis will prove just what he’s made of and how courageous he is.”