Master Vince Palumbo

     Master Vince Palumbo has been involved with the martial arts training since early childhood, and he has trained with some of the world’s leading instructors. He has also travelled the world and taught the martial arts to many students in various countries.
     Master Vince Palumbo has attained Black Belts in Tae Kwon Do, Tang Soo Do, Freestyle Karate, Pangamot Jujitsu, Korean Hapkido and he is an 8th Degree Master in Doce Pares Eskrima and a student of Grandmaster Cacoy Canete 12th Dan, of Cebu City in the Philippines. Master Palumbo commenced training in 1974 as a junior boxing and gymnastics student at the Semaphore Youth Club in Adelaide.
     In 1976, after winning most of his junior boxing bouts, he expanded his interests to the study of judo, and trained at the McNally’s Fitness Gym in the Colonel Light Square, Adelaide. In 1980 he began learning Freestyle and Combat Karate at the Bushido Dojo in Hindley Street, Adelaide.
     In 1984, Vince received his Black Belt in Freestyle and Combat Karate, and in the same year Vince also commenced training in the Korean art of Tae Kwon Do, and he became a student of the very tough, Master Christopher Nasilowski. He earned his Taekwondo Black Belt in 1988. (The training was very strict and hard.)
     1988, also saw Vince travel to Alice Springs and he commenced training with the 'Outback' martial arts pioneer, Master Martin Gardiner, who was an instructor of Tang Soo Do Korean Karate and the Doce Pares Eskrima Filipino Stick and Knife system. During his six month stay in Alice Springs, Vince added a 1st Dan in Tang Soo Do to his now growing collection of Black Belt rankings. And he was also graded to Brown Belt 3rd Class level in the Doce Pares Eskrima.
     Vince met Doce Pares Eskrima Filipino legend, Grandmaster Cacoy Canete while the G.M. was brought over from Philippines to do a series of seminars around Australia, and Vince has been his loyal student ever since their first meeting in Alice Springs. The other type of training for Vince includes- Kickboxing, for which he credits Master Fai Quoc Giang of Vietnam as his initial mentor.
- In 1989, Master Giang encouraged Vince to open up his own martial arts school and graded him to the level of 3rd Dan Black Belt in Combat Arts.
- In 1991, Professor Brian Dossett 9th Dan, of the World Combat Jujitsu Federation, after being so impressed with his martial arts skills, graded Vince to 4th Dan International Instructor.
- In 1992, Vince went to the Philippines as the assistant coach for the Australian Stickfighting Team that was competing in the World Full Contact Stickfighting Championships in Manilla and Cebu. Vince won a Gold Medal at the Tournament. When he returned to Australia, he then started training for, and entered the Australian Martial Arts Association Full Contact Karate Tournament. He blitzed the competition and went on to win five State titles in the one night – Open and Middleweight Fighting divisions. Martial Arts Kata Division. Weapons Kata Division. Power Breaking Divisions. He was also voted as Grand Champion of that Martial Arts tournament!
- In 1993, Vince competed in, and won, Australia’s first 'Toughman' competition held in Darwin, he managed two opponent knockouts in the first round, and a win by unanimous decision in his last fight for the title.
- In 1994, Vince won the South Australian Amateur Boxing League State Title in the Men's Novice Middleweight Division, and he was voted as the 'Best Novice Boxer' for that year.
- 1995, was the year that Vince won the South Australian Submission Grappling Title.
- In 1996, he travelled to Sydney and won the 'Australian Title' for Full Contact Kickfighting.
In that same year Vince travelled to London to fight for a World Kickboxing Title, but unfortunately he had to settle for the runner up trophy.
- In 1997, Vince received a Silver Medal for the Men's Middleweight Intermediate Division in the South Australian Amateur Boxing League State Titles.
- 1998, was the year that Vince won the prestigious South Australian Boxing League Open Weight Division, State Title Belt.
     Then he competed in the Australian Amateur Boxing League Australian Titles, and earned a Silver Medal for his efforts. Vince Palumbo was voted as South Australia’s 'Best Amateur Boxer' for that year. This year saw Vince win the South Australian Full Contact Karate Title once again.
     In 1999, Vince won the Australian Shoot-Boxing Title, and in that same year, the Grandmaster Cacoy Canete graded Vince to the International Rank of Master level 6th Degree Black Belt in the Doce Pares Eskrima.
     Vince won the 1999 A.M.A.A. State Title for the South Australian Full Contact Karate Competition, and later that year he also won the South Australian Amateur Boxing Association Title Belt for the Open-Middleweight Division. He earned the trophy for being selected as South Australia's 'Most Competitive Boxer'. Vince then earned the right to compete in the Australian Amateur Boxing Titles held in Darwin, and won a Silver Medal. (Just missing out on the 2000 Olympic selection!)
     In 2000, he again went and competed in the Australian Amateur Boxing Titles, which were held in Queensland, and earned himself a Bronze Medal. It was in this same year that Vince also had to settle for a 'Runners Up' Silver Medal for the State Open Middleweight Boxing Division, as a result of a very disputed and highly controversial judging decision, at the South Australian Amateur Boxing Titles.
- Vince again was nominated for the award as South Australia's 'Most Competitive Boxer'.
- 2001, saw Vince win the South Australian Super Middleweight Professional Boxing Title with a 3rd round knock out of his opponent.
- He was then ranked as No.7 S/Middleweight Boxer in the country by the "Fist Boxing Magazine".
- In 2002, Vince was bestowed the Honorable Rank of 8th Dan in the art of Doce Pares Eskrima by the Grandmaster Cacoy Canete.
- He also won the South Australian Full Contact Stickfighting Title.
     It was in this same year that Vince appeared in a Hollywood film production of the movie that was called "FINAL COMBAT", and he was selected to appear in this movie because of his ability in the Filipino Stickfighting. He was asked to choreograph the Stickfight scene between himself and the lead actor 'TONNY WHITE'. Vince did all of his own stunts in that movie!