Glory for Chris

Glory for Chris

17 September 2025

ALL eyes were on London’s iconic O2 Arena on Saturday night as local Karate starts Chris Boyd and Conor McAnulty made their debuts in Total Kombat MMA.

As a revolutionary form of combat sport, Total Kombat puts fighters to the test, not only requiring them to hone their own skills, but also compete against different fighting disciplines. 

Backed by UFC fighter Michael ‘Venom’ Page, the event’s action notably pits competitors from the likes of karate, kickboxing, MMA and taekwondo against each other, pulling them out of their comfort zone. 

With Loughinisland’s Boyd and Leitrim’s McAnulty both representing karate, the format of the competition tested their resolve against opponents from kickboxing and Muay Thai.

Boyd, taking on English kickboxer Scott Brewer, dominated his bout, before delivering a stoppage with an explosive body kick in the third and final round.

It may have been his first Total Kombat experience, and his second professional fight overall, but the 21 year-old admits he had high hopes for victory going into the contest.

“To me, a fight is a fight. I knew I was up against a heavy hitter, and I prepared for that,” he said. “By the time I set foot in the ring, I was comfortable and confident.”

The Loughinisland fighter poured blood, sweat and tears into his latest outing, bouncing back from a series set-backs, and he knows his success is a product of those attributes. 

“I took the fight 16 weeks ago. It was a long, hard training camp and a lot of effort was required.

“I’ve struggled with injuries and it has been one hell of a grind to get back to fighting fitness, but I kept the faith. 

“When you work hard for something and it pays off, especially on such big stage, all the effort is more than worth it.”

Boyd underwent a 12-week camp with the Kazoku Karate Gym in Aughlisnafin Community Hall, alongside clubmate McAnulty, training seven days a week for up to three hours.

The pair were trained by McAnulty’s brother and former professional fighter, Gerard, combining a mix of pad and skill work, cardio, strength and conditioning, karate and recovery, and the coach has paid testament to their effort.

He said: “Both of them took it in their stride. They are two relaxed characters and only the people around them really know how much has gone into this.

“They sacrificed an awful lot, from nights out to friends’ weddings. It’s like a full-time job when you are competing at pro level, and they have certainly carried themselves like pros.”

While McAnulty did not get the desired result, losing to Danish Muay Thai opponent Tais O’Donnell in round two, his coach has identified where they went wrong.

“Sometimes things just don’t go to plan. Conor normally walks around at 72kg, but he was fighting in the 61kg class and the weight cut hurt him,” Gerard stated.

Nonetheless, he has kept his chin up in defeat and is now targeting his next fight — something Gerard has attributed to his strong character.

“Conor is mentally strong. He can take it on the chin and use the defeat to go again next time out. He will now focus on the European Karate Championships in Riga, Latvia, in October, returning to his skill base,” he added.

“Conor is already back in training and he won’t be too far away from winning the European Championships.”

As for Boyd, he has confidently stated his ambition to land a title fight in February, saying: “If Total Kombat give me a title fight, I’ll be ready.”