Message from the President

Message from the President:
« Fraternity, passion, and excellence: three words to define the first WKN European Open Amateur!
Everyone agrees: this first Amateur tournament, open to all, was a true sporting and human success. Fighters from various European clubs, as well as from countries like Turkey, Morocco, and Syria, competed throughout the day, striving to climb the ranks and claim final victory. Open tournaments of this kind are held worldwide with varying degrees of success. For its part, even though this was our first edition, WKN stands out as the only federation to award such an impressive trophy, culminating with a superb championship belt, and paying tribute to its legends. Three legendary WKN world champions—Mr. Murray, Mr. Mordillo, and Mr. Podraza—were all presented with a commemorative WKN belt.
It’s important to note that we are not aiming to compete with organizations like IFMA, WAKO, or other amateur bodies that host national team championships. Our concept is different—open to clubs, not national teams—and this is a key distinction: winning the WKN European Open does not equate to being an Amateur European Champion. Being part of a national team involves qualifications and specialized team training, but with WKN, we offer something entirely different—an open competition for all clubs, which is a major difference. We strongly emphasize the concept of “OPEN” and the title of “OPEN EUROPE CHAMPION.”
Throughout the year, our WKN champions compete in single fights in the PRO/AM category, which we created over 25 years ago, as well as in the professional division.
Success in our sport is never achieved without the hard work of many, so I extend my heartfelt thanks to the promoter, WKN Germany, its dedicated team of officials, the city and its mayor for hosting us, all the participating clubs, and our shared passion for this sport. I truly believe that those who missed this event missed an unforgettable sporting moment. As the saying goes, “the absent are always in the wrong.”
Lastly, I dedicated this event to our dear departed member and friend, Steve Smoger. I am certain that Steve, wherever you are, would be proud of the work accomplished and the outcome of this very first event. Steve, know that we will never forget you.
See you all for the 2025 edition, and thank you from the bottom of my heart. We will continue to be “Simply the Best” for decades to come.”
WKN World President
Stéphane Cabrera