Italians are no strangers to combat sports, and perhaps no characters epitomize the image more than the fictional “Italian Stallion” Rocky Balboa or the true-life icon “Raging Bull” Jake LaMotta.
At the other end of the spectrum some might conjure up an image of a gentler kind in Ralph Macchio as The Karate Kid.
Somewhere between “wax on, wax off” and a freezer full of sides of beef battered with bloody knuckle stamps lies a contemporary story in full bloom.
In the north-east end of Montreal, you will find a small gym, DiBella Karate Kickboxing, founded by Canadian-born Angelo DiBella. He’s an unassuming man. At first glance you might not guess that he stood at the pinnacle of the International Sport Kickboxing Association (ISKA) with an impressive 26-1 record, effectively retiring as World Champion.
Today, DiBella dedicates his full attention to teaching both children and adults. He may very well be kickboxing’s best-kept secret—a world class coach, sought after by elite athletes from organizations such as Glory and the UFC—right in our own backyard.
DiBella is self-taught, forging himself through competition and sharing that knowledge as a teacher with a reputation as the best in the business.
The business, for that matter, is family run. The school has been around since 1988. It’s clean, it’s sharp, it’s tidy, it’s modern, but really, what you feel is the living energy of excellence—that championship mentality that beckons you to be the best possible version of yourself. Totally pro, but totally inclusive.
A specialty of the DiBella Kickboxing School is the children’s program. More than half of the scheduling is devoted to children. Why not have your kids learn basic self-defense and the discipline and respect that come with it? And it’s more than just self-defense—the acquired skills and character development are transposable into all facets of life. It’s serious training, but nothing intimidating. The kids love it.
One of DiBella’s top students is his very own son, Jonathan DiBella. Seeing Jonathan, you’d think that he is just the sweetest kid, but when you see him hit the pads, frankly, it’s a little scary. This young man competes at 125lbs and despite his small stature, his power is uncanny. Coupled with his fluidity and timing, he’s nothing short of incredible to behold.
Although Jonathan is a striking specialist, he is nevertheless honing all his skill sets. On this day of training, he’s working on his wrestling with Canadian Olympic silver medalist “Gia” Sissaouri. The sky’s the limit for this young man and word is spreading fast on his progress. Though he only just turned pro, and with just a 2-0 record, opponents have already begun dodging Jonathan, even dropping out of scheduled bouts.
Keep your eyes open for this 20-year-old prospect.
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