Fighters from around the world will compete in the first, full-contact kickboxing tournament to be held in Hong Kong for 20 years.
First Strike 2004 is scheduled for tomorrow at 8pm at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wan Chai. Although no-one under 18 will be admitted to the event, kickboxing officials are working to ensure that more children are exposed to the sport.
'People will realise it's a great sport, a very well-disciplined sport,' said Pierre Ingrassia, one of the organisers. 'It's good for the body, healthy for the mind and, ultimately, computer games are more violent than this kind of event. We should get a PG [parental guidance] rating.'
Kickboxing developed a poor reputation in Hong Kong in the early 80s because of its alleged links with criminal gangs. The sport was formally banned in 1984.
Since then, Ingrassia and other officials have worked hard to restore the reputation of martial arts in Hong Kong, which has helped produce film legends such as Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee.
'We are proper businessmen, so obviously there's no criminal involvement,' Ingrassia said.