Vincent Palumbo is the world's most renowned martial artist in Australia and Africa. The "Grand Master", as he is often called in the Western press, is considered the recognized martial artist of Indigenous Australians and Filipinos.
Biography
Vincent was born on November 4, 1965 in Adelaide, South Australia.
For the first time, Vincent got acquainted with martial arts thanks to films with the participation of Bruce Lee. At the age of 8, little Vincent saw the movie "Big Boss" in the cinema, to which he went with his parents and his younger sister. It was following Bruce Lee's example that Vincent decided to devote his life to martial arts and their embodiment on the big screen. So martial arts became the love of his life.
The first sport that Vincent mastered was boxing and gymnastics. Thanks to boxing, the future master learned to strike, overcome fear and pain, and also believe in himself. By the age of 10, Vincent switched from boxing to jiu-jitsu, and at 15 years old - to karate.
Subsequently, he became a recognized master in such martial arts as Filipino stick wrestling, Korean karate (taekwondo), martial jiu-jitsu, martial karate and Filipino jiu-jitsu. Winner of black belts in taekwondo, tansudo and hapkido. However, Vincent received his first black belt in karate on his 18th birthday.
The resulting combat experience helped Vincent choose his specialization - the martial arts of Australian aborigines and the natives of the Philippines.
First there was Australia. Vincent lived for a long time in the northern territory of Australia in a place called Alice Springs. This area is traditionally inhabited by many indigenous Australian people who taught him their forms of martial arts.
Talking about his Australian teachers, Vincent says that they are great warriors. The martial arts developed by them were passed on from the great old men of the tribe to future young warriors for many centuries and millennia. But, unfortunately, all these forms were kept secret until recently and practically no one outside Australia has seen how they work.
But especially of all the mentors, Vincent singles out the famous Canyete, the great master of Filipino art, Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima. Cañete is the greatest master of the Philippines, one of the highest paid martial artists in the world, who is still alive today. Currently 88 years old, Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima holds 12th dan and still trains every day.
For the first time, Vincent and Canyete met at one of the seminars of Martin Gardner, one of the pioneers of martial arts in Australia. Since then, Cagneta has been teaching Vincent Doce Pares Eskrima and Cacoy Pangamot for over 20 years. Palumbo travels every year to his mentor in the Philippines in the city of Cebu to continue his studies.
Sports career
Palumbo started competing at the age of 21
Vincent Palumbo is an accomplished athlete with over 20 years of competition and many titles under his belt. Vincent's most important titles:
- Australian champion in full contact karate;
- Australian champion in full contact stick fighting;
- South Australian boxing and grappling champion;
- the Australian and South Pacific boxing champion among juniors, amateurs and professionals;
- Australian champion in full contact kung fu;
- heavyweight kickboxing champion of Australia;
- Australian stickfight champion;
- two-time Filipino martial arts champion Doce Pares Eskrima;
- Blitz magazine's Fighter of the Year;
- Australia's Best Martial Arts Instructor;
- amateur boxer with the most fights.
Vincent has more than 300 official fights in his track record and according to the champion, he wants to continue to fight. At least until he turns 50. This will make him one of the greatest athletes to make a sports career.
Vincent is proud to have the privilege of working with such great athletes as Pete Cunningham, John Mugabi, Cecil Peeples, Ron Hill, Jackson Ashiku, Roger Isonwright, Howard Jackson, Lloyd Irwin and Radi Fergusson.
Teaching career
To promote and popularize Australian martial arts, Vincent founded the International Martial Arts Academy headquartered in Adelaide. The academy also has branches in Australian cities such as Sydney, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart and Perth. Outside Australia, branches are open in Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Poland, UK, USA, New Zealand and the Philippines. The nearest plans include opening branches on the African continent.
Great master Vincent Palumbo possesses 10th dan Doce Pares Eskrima, 9th dan Cacoy Pangamot (Filipino Jiu-Jitsu), 8th given Arjukanpo karate, 6th given martial Aikijitsu and 6th given Korean karate. He is also a senior student and heir to the traditions of the great master Canyete.
Filmography
The first film in which Vincent Palumbo starred was "The Last Stand" directed by Menachem Golan. Golan is the director of the acclaimed Bloodsport movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. It was this film that led to the worldwide fame of both the director and the leading actor.
In The Last Stand, Vincent had to stage a thrilling fight scene between him and Tony White. For this, Vincent spent a whole month in Thailand, where, together with Tony, he perfectly rehearsed the choreography of the fight.
According to Vincent's recollections, Menachem Golan once called Vincent directly to his "Academy of Martial Arts" in Adelaide and offered a role in his new film. Golan chose Vincent because he was the most famous master and champion of stick fighting in the West.
In the next film "Confession of a Pit Fighter," 2005 by Hollywood director Art Comacho, Vincent had to play the role of a prison warden who beats a prisoner in prison. The role of the prisoner went to the world famous master Hector Echavarria. In the final scene, the heroes fight, armed with a club (Hector) and a wooden club (Vincent).
The role in the film "Confession of a Pit Fighter" went to Vincent also thanks to sports. Shortly before filming began, Palumbo won one of his championship titles in Los Angeles and the upcoming film's producer Jake Bresler saw Vinstent in the ring.
Personal life
Vincent Palumbo is not married. Has no children.
