THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 30, 1995 TAG: 9504280220
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 32 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Lee Tolliver
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
There was no wild welcoming party at Norfolk International Airport when Curtis Bush arrived from England.
No big banners or screaming fans. Just his bride of several months and a few family members.
Too bad, though. If anybody is deserving of a hero's welcome, it's Bush.
The Virginia Beach kickboxer had just gone into unfriendly territory and captured an unprecedented fourth International Sport Karate Association world title.
It was a long time in coming. This was Bush's third try at a fourth belt.
He went in with a ``three strikes and you're out'' attitude. He didn't want to be out, so he fought like an animal with its back to the wall, using all his instincts and training to get him something he has dreamed of for years.
Bush won a unanimous decision over Englishman Tom Montgomery for the ISKA's super welterweight belt. Bush had lost to France's Abdel Issad last year in a brutal fight at the Pavilion. But Issad had hurt his hand in that fight, couldn't make his mandatory defense and was stripped of the title - leaving the top-ranked Montgomery and No. 2 Bush to go at it for the belt.
Montgomery was 40-8-4 with 30 knockouts going into the fight, while Bush was 38-8-2 with 28 KOs.
``He was a real bulldog,'' Bush said. ``He hit me on top of the head with a spinning bottom fist early in the fight and I felt his power. He broke my nose in the ninth or 10th round and it really woke me up.
``Everything the guy threw, he threw it with hopes of a knockout.''
Bush is now waiting word on a mandatory defense and is hoping that a local promoter will step up with the offer so the fight can be here in Virginia Beach. Chances are, the opponent will be Issad.
``But it could be anybody ranked in the top 15,'' Bush explained. ``The first one to come up with the money to put on the fight is awarded the chance by the ISKA.''
Many who saw Bush badly beaten by Issad are probably amazed that he even took on another fight.
``A lot of people wrote me off,'' the 32-year-old said. ``But I think that if you feel you can still do something, you should. I knew in my heart that I could still do this. The loss to Issad made me more focused than ever.
``I feel really good about my accomplishment.''
As well he should. by CNB