By ADAM LAZZARI JUST three years after taking up kickboxing Wisbech man Chris Knott made his England debut in the martial art. He narrowly lost to Scotland s Lee Cruickshank in Dundee on Saturday night. The home fighter, from the Sky Axe Gym, Dundee, won

By ADAM LAZZARI

JUST three years after taking up kickboxing Wisbech man Chris Knott made his England debut in the martial art.

He narrowly lost to Scotland's Lee Cruickshank in Dundee on Saturday night.

The home fighter, from the Sky Axe Gym, Dundee, won on points at the end of three rounds.

Dell Mann, Knott's coach at the Cobra Academy of Martial Arts, King's Lynn, said: "What a fight! Both guys went at it at full pelt from the start.

"It must have been impossible to call after two rounds, but the Scottish guy had more in the final round and he just edged it."

He added: "Chris has done superbly to get an England call up and it was a tremendous fight. He more than held his own and I'm proud of him.

"The first thing he said afterwards was, 'I want to get back in there and go again' and he was back in the gym training on Monday. There's not a scratch on him."

Knott, 36, will return to Dundee for a re-match in November.

He said: "It was a very good match and I really enjoyed myself.

"I started kickboxing because I saw it as something different and an enjoyable way of getting fit. Most top kickboxers are in their 20s and my opponent on Saturday was just 23. It's quite unusual for me to be fighting for England at my age, especially after just three years, but I feel there is plenty to come from me.

"I have to work harder now and make sure I'm ready for the re-match."

Knott received his England call-up in January.

A team of international selectors, including Grandmaster Goff, the head of the European Federation of Kickboxing, visited the King's Lynn gym and watched video footage of Knott in action.

Meanwhile, the Cobra Academy has been sponsored for the 2009 season by All-4-Sports, the schools sports coaching company.