John Westerterp:  

Life AFTER HIGH SCHOOL I GOT INVOLVED IN THE MARTIAL ARTS. THE MARTIAL ARTS GOT ME INVOLVED IN KICKBOXING IN 1980 I BEGAN KICKBOXING WITH A WORLD CLASS TEACHER NAMED HAROLD (ROTH) DIAMOND. THIS LED ME TO BEGIN BOXING AT THE TROPICAL PARK BOXING CENTER IN MIAMI. I CONTINUED TO TRAIN WHILE I WORKED AS AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC TO PAY THE BILLS. UNTIL 1987 WHEN I GOT TIRED OF THE BAR SCENE IN MIAMI, & WORKING & TRAINING. I WOKE UP ONE DAY TIRED OF IT ALL & REALIZED IF I DIDN'T FOLLOW MY DREAMS THAT I WOULD JUST BE ANOTHER BAR FLY WORKING JUST TO PARTY ON THE WEEKENDS. SO I CALLED AN OLD FRIEND NAMED CHUCK DALY WHO WAS RUNNING A MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL IN COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO WHO HAD TOLD ME IF I EVER WANTED A JOB TEACHING KICKBOXING TO GIVE HIM A CALL. I CALLED HIM & HE WAS SERIOUS ABOUT THE JOB. HE TOLD ME THAT I COULD EARN A LIVING TEACHING KICKBOXING AT NITE WHILE TRAINING TO FIGHT DURING THE DAY. SINCE I HAD ALREADY BEEN FIGHTING AS A BOXER AT TROPICAL PARK AND HAD AN AMATUER BOXING RECORD OF 17-4 & A STATE MIDDLE WEIGHT TITLE IN 1983. I DECIDED TO CHASE A DREAM!!! I WENT TO WORK THE NEXT DAY & AT THE END OF THE DAY I PUSHED MY TOOL BOX INTO THE CORNER LEFT THE KEYS IN IT & TOLD ONE OF MY FRIENDS AT WORK THAT I WAS NOT COMING BACK. THE NEXT MORNING I GOT ON AN AIRPLANE & MOVED TO COLORADO. I BEGAN TEACHING AT NITE WHILE TRAINING DURING THE DAY. IN THOSE DAYS THE ISKA WAS SANCTIONING MOST OF THIER KICKBOXING FIGHTS IN DENVER CO. BEFORE I NEW IT I HAD AN AMATUER KICKBOXING RECORD OF 14 WINS & 5 LOSSES. IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE I DECIDED TO TURN PRO I RAN UP A PRO KICKBOXING RECORD 8 WINS & 2 LOSSES. I HAD THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN CRUISER WEIGHT TITLE IN APRIL OF 1989 I LOST THE TITLE AFTER BEING PENALIZED FOR MISSING 2 KICKS IN 2 ROUNDS FOR A TOTAL 4 POINTS, AFTER KNOCKING DOWN MY OPPONENT 3 TIMES.I LOST MY TITLE FOR MISSING 4 KICKS BY A SPLIT DECISSION BY 1 POINT. I RETIRED FROM KICK BOXING & DID NOT COMPETE FOR 16 MONTHS. I ...Expand for more