Mark Hunt is a quiet achiever, he believes that talk is cheap and it is what you do that counts – not what you say you’re going to do.
Mark is the people’s champion. He is a man who truly believes that if you follow your dreams and have faith in yourself anything is possible. This is reflected in his own remarkable rise to the top of the world’s most competitive fighting arena – the K1.
Mark Hunt was bought up in the mean streets of South Auckland. He came from a large, underprivileged family who made up for a lack of material comforts with love. What he lacked in terms of material possessions was more than made up for by the warmth and the caring atmosphere that pervaded his family. The first thing Mark did when he won the 2001 K1 Grand Prix was to buy a house for his family.
It is the hard times of his formative years that he looks back on when the training or competition gets really tough. Mark knows that this is the moment when you have to believe in yourself, you cannot let your head drop and feel sorry for yourself. No matter how bad things appear to be there is always another human being facing a tougher situation with dignity and honour. This is the cornerstone of Mark’s philosophy – to face life and situations with dignity and honour.
The mental preparation for a big contest is crucial to the winning or losing of the bout. Mark falls back on trust and faith in the team around him. Fitness guru Dave Uelese. His training program is intense and rigorous. Mark is up and in the pool at 5am everyday for at least two hours training in the morning. Then there is gym work for another four hours in the afternoon.
As Mark himself says:
MMA Professional
“This is a tough regime, however everyday I feel grateful, lucky and privileged that I am able to be living the life I want to and following my dream of not only being the greatest K1 fighter but the greatest fighter in the world.”
“As a message to younger fighters who may be reading this I believe that like the average citizen who has two arms and two legs, so do the K1 fighters. I have proved that they are not unbeatable Gods, but very, very good professional athletes who can be beaten. So believe in yourself…”
“The other unshakable cornerstone in my philosophy is to live your life as honestly and truthfully as you can. Say what you mean and mean what you say. If you have made a mistake or you haven’t kept your word contact the people and let them know. Apologize and move on. Respect yourself and others through honesty.”
“Try not to judge other people and importantly try not to judge yourself. Be kind to yourself and others around you. Be comfortable with yourself, with your faults and with your good points. Be honest and be brave.”
“Inspirational figures for me are Bruce Lee and Muhammed Ali. In fact, one of my favourite quotes comes from Ali and I will use it to finish up…”
Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.
—Muhammed Ali
