Paul Kingi was born in Dannevirke and began his involvement with strength and fight training while at school in the fifth form. It was weight training first, and then boxing and anything remotely related to combat sports or power training.
From school he went directly to America and played American Football and began power lifting. Paul broke Californian and US records for power lifting in the teenage 275lb class dead lifting 625lb in Texas. He then entered tough man competitions in South Dakota and at age 19 took out a few finals.
Paul’s Dad’s brother was a US cop and one night at an amateur boxing tournament Paul said to him he thought he could do better than a lot of the fighters in the ring that night. His uncle soon had him registered and fighting in the State Golden Gloves where he made it to the finals, put an eight count on his opponent in round two only to lose on a points decision, even though he was sure he had won in his own mind.
Next Paul broke the Californian bench press record for teenagers pressing 405lbs.
In 1994 on his return to New Zealand he was head hunted to play rugby for his size strength and achievements to that date.
Paul never considered himself an eighty-minute around the park footballer but took up the challenge. His rugby coach at the time suggested he enter the upcoming Sumo Champs in Wanganui being run by Wayne Watson and so he did Sumo in New Zealand at that time was close to being cut from international competition. However because of Paul’s performance and winning the New Zealand qualifier it was not. Paul with no previous experience went on to compete in Japan where he made it to the finals and was eventually placed second over all to a Japanese Sumo Wrestler who is now a Yokozuna (Grand Champion-higest rank in Sumo).
He then returned to New Zealand to compete in the New Zealand Strong Man competition but even though he achieved the requirements for entry, he was not included. Finally when he was given a position in 1995 he did so well that he did not have to attempt the final two events as he had already accumulated enough points to win the title.
Paul’s aim was always to try and do well at as many sports and events as possible, gathering as many titles and as much experience as he could on the way so as to build a resume that would allow him entry to the prestigious big paying events.
Home in New Zealand he set about breaking Robin Tait’s long-standing bench press record that had stood for the past twenty-six years. It wasn’t that Paul was totally into power lifting, it was that he was looking for big challenges and to break big records that would elevate him to better things quickly.
This was Paul’s first entry to big time power lifting in New Zealand, and it was at the central districts champs on his first lift that he broke Robin Tait’s record. The powers-that-be insisted he had to repeat it at the nationals so he had to peak all over again.
Paul’s opening lift got him the record and he didn’t even bother attempting the allowed three attempts, he benched over 500lbs with that first and only needed lift to break the record.
Paul then returned to the US and competed successfully in several strong man and power lifting events before returning to New Zealand and signed a contract with Kevin Barry to be a heavy weight sparring partner for Kevin’s heavy weight pro boxers.
Paul then played rugby for a short time for North Harbour where he very much enjoyed the scrums, rucks, tackles and short bursts, but not the eighty minutes around the paddock. He played a game against Waikato before moving on. Also prior to this he had played for Feilding Yellows and Feilding Old Boys as well as the Manawatu Maoris.
Paul next went in the Asia Australasia Sumo Champs winning it before heading back to America and competing in a competition called “The Night of the Giants” where Paul found himself in the unusual position of being small in size compared to some of the Eastern Block giants entered, that as Paul says were ‘freaks of nature’. Paul narrowly lost in the semi finals to South Africa’s Mark Robinson a strongman and world judo competitor. This event was a cross between sumo and grappling, a king of the circle type event.
From this Paul was approached about the WWF and ended up at their training school in Huntington Beach California. Paul’s advisors thought his ability and the Maori warrior concept was worth more than what was on offer so he turned down a contract with the WWF.
Paul returned to New Zealand and hooked up with Selwyn Jones who recommended he pro wrestle in Japan and so to Japan he went.
While waiting at his accommodation in Japan for Selwyn to return from negotiations for Paul to pro wrestle he quickly asked how did it go on his return and Selwyn replied, “Awesome I got you a fight in the K1.”
Paul had previously been a spectator at a K1 event in Japan and had commented on the devastating leg kicks. They argued over the K1 event with Paul stating he was clearly not a K1 trained fighter and you don’t enter the kick boxing ranks at the top world level straight off. However, as the argument went on Paul said “Alright sign me up I will take it.”
Paul fought Naka Nishi, a Pride fighter and K1 as well as Vale Tudo fighter who had competed at the Olympics in Greco Roman Wrestling.
Paul feels this fight was a great experience and elevated him to the hype and realities of top competition. He remembers at the pre fight press conference looking at Nishi’s munted ears and thinking what a bull dog. Paul experienced the devastating power of his round kicks to the side of his knees at the start of the first round and then decided to close the gap and finished the fight in round one by the way of a left hook, right cross combination.
Paul enjoyed the pre-fight sparring with some of the top K1 fighters as much as he did the actual fight.
He was supposed to fight Bob Sapp but that has not yet happened and that is a fight Paul would really like and is confident he can win. He says Bob is a really nice guy that doesn’t have the attitude or big ego of some fighters. He spent a couple of days with Bob and says the way he appears in the ring is all a front.
Paul considers himself in the group of fighters like Butter Bean and Bob Sapp. He doesn’t claim to be the calibre of the top K1 fighters like Peter Aerts and the like, even though he has put his hand up to fight Peter.
Two other top fighters in Japan that Paul has in his sights are Anson Enoe and Josh Barnett and Paul is open to Pride fights, K1 or Vale Tudo. Although he may not be fully versed in some codes he simply enjoys the challenge and does not fear his opponent.
Paul has rolled around with Frank Shamrock and some of his guys and as he puts it relies heavily on his strength and when he gets on top of his opponent, uses his weight to tire them and finishes them with his heavy hands.
He can remember in training with a Vale Tudo fighter, escaping an arm bar by standing up and slamming his opponent into the ground and shaking him off.
While at school in the States in the off season Paul did a little practice with the wrestling team and rates it very highly as a sport and believes we should have wrestling in our schools.
He has also trained with Tank Abbot and speaks highly of him saying he’s a real tough competitor and good scrapper and more importantly outside the ring a good and funny guy. While working as a sparring partner for Kevin Barry’s team he would often have a grapple with top New Zealand wrestler Ken Reinsfield and make no qualms at stating just how good Ken is. He says it was only his greater weight that allowed him to told Ken down and says Ken gave him a lot of trouble.
Paul now wrestles for the New Japan Pro Wrestling Organization under the name TOA and has just completed a seventeen-bout tour. He has wrestled in the Toyko Dome and on the same card as Hulk Hogan. Says Paul, often when you do not see top pro wrestlers in the States it is because they are wrestling in Japan.
Because of Paul’s K1 one success and background he was bought into the Pro Wrestling competition at the top level of competition which, he says was extremely hard but rewarding. He will tell you that the pro wrestling competition and the high flying maneuvers are full on and usually leave you battered and bruised or worse. The pre-fight square off in the ring with an opponent, you know the old pre fight talk it up and talk the opposition down saw Paul take an unexpected powerful punch to the jaw far from on queue. He describes Pro Wrestling as a show, but very physical and on this tour he got fairly knocked around and is home resting before he returns for the next tour in December or January.
Paul is 6foot 4inches in height and 138kg and intends to drop his weight to around 123kg for the next tour. He believes in giving the spectators a good show and doesn’t mind getting punched or close lined in doing so. He once got down to 117kg for a body building competition and was amazed at the muscle that he uncovered and can see himself muscling up for his wrestling in the future.
He told Butterbean before his last fight how delicious his legs would look to a K1 fighter and how devastating the leg kicks are and how he needs to know how to check those kicks and in answer Butter Bean said he was just going to go out there and smash him over.
Butterbean won his first fight by punching his opponent in the neck and even before that his power was overwhelming him, but the latest fight saw him up against an up there fighter who simply kicked his huge legs until he collapsed.
Paul is very aware of the difference in class between the K1 elite fighters and fighters at lesser levels including the big tough guys like him and Butterbean, but in saying that does not fear them and as this is how he makes his living will always be prepared to do the business with them.
Paul thinks his class of fighters make awesome undercard fights for the elite K1 title bouts and it has been discussed the likelihood of Paul and Bob Sapp fighting and the winner taking on Mike Tyson.
Paul would really like that one and is realistic about his chances and knows he would have to fight to a set strategy that he has in mind to win. Paul knows for him strength will often see him win over more technical fighters and has rolled with a lot of ranked Vale Tudo fighters in New Zealand and overseas submitting them with his sheer weight and strength. They can consider themselves lucky that they didn’t have to face the power of his punches, the same punches that have taken out tough man competitions for him.
Paul is well respected and has many good friends in the fight and weight lifting business, good people like champion body builder Kevin O’Grady who has helped him with his diet and training.
Paul is a very dynamic fighter for his weight and while at WWF training school, at 150kg surprised everyone with being able to execute high flying maneuvers such as leaping off the top rope
Tank Abbott was at WWF school at the same time as Paul and thought Paul was a Samoan and told him he had had plenty of run ins with Samoans at Long Beach including a fight at a park with a whole family.
Paul liked Tank saying he’s a tough nut that has difficulty in pulling his punches and in a Pro wrestling contest against Kevin Nash punched his ribs and injured them
Paul is not into ego or image. He is a great guy, a true Kiwi, very approachable and straight up. Success and fame have not changed his outlook or personality and that is testament to his confidence in himself and his respect for others.
Paul is multitalented and has done very well at everything he has applied himself to.
He is a big strong man and always has been and has used his natural strengths and abilities well. This Kiwi big boy has made it the hard and tough way by putting himself on the line and I’m sure he will continue to do what he does best for many more years.
We New Zealanders should be very proud of Paul Kingi and the ambassador he is for New Zealand. Thank you Paul for a great interview and the best of luck for the future.
