Soft spoken, a young face that has been called cute, and a handful of Titles in Muay Thai and Kickboxing make the appearance of this athlete very deceiving. Called "T.N.T." because of his fast and very unexpected knockouts in the ring, this "T.N.T." is really only dangerous inside the ring. Originally from an interview in early 1998, this has recently been updated for both the magazine "Martial Arts Alberta" as well as for this web page.
Martial Arts Alberta: When did you first start training in the Martial Arts?
Trevor Smandych: I started training in early 1991. Originally, I started training in traditional Shorinryu Karate under my coach Mr. Mike Miles. But in 1994, I then changed from traditional Karate and started training Muay Thai and Kickboxing under Mr. Miles.
Martial Arts Alberta: What made you change from Karate to Muay Thai and Kickboxing?
Trevor Smandych: I liked the fact that Kickboxing was more realistic and when it came to competition, there was contact involved. I didn't like Karate because you stopped a few inches short of actual contact.
Martial Arts Alberta: When did you have your first fight? Can you also give me a few details about the fight as well?
Trevor Smandych: My first fight was in April 1994. It was against Calgary's David Herceg. It was a Kickboxing bout (allowing leg kicks). I won the bout even though David weighed more (2 divisions above) than me.
Martial Arts Alberta: Which is your favorite bout?
Trevor Smandych: The one I had at the 1997 World Championships in Bangkok. I fought a fighter from Holland trained by Mr. Cor Hemmer's. Hemmer's is the coach (and father in law) of one of the greatest Muay Thai fighters, Ramon Dekker. I knocked the fighter out with a kick to the head.
Martial Arts Alberta: Who was your toughest opponent in the ring?
Trevor Smandych: Another fighter from Morocco, Fikri Tarti. I fought him in the 1996 IAMTF World Championships. He was too experienced for me. He won the Silver Medal losing to a Thai opponent in the Championship bout. He is now the WPKL Professional World Champion in his division. I would love to fight him again.
Martial Arts Alberta: Who would you really like to fight?
Trevor Smandych: Well, besides everyone who I have stated earlier, I would love to fight the USA's Danny Steele and Melchor Menor, and many other fighters from Europe and the Orient. It would be a very good challenge for me to learn and become a better fighter. Right now I am focusing on my next few bouts which will include some Thai athletes and a few European's.
Martial Arts Alberta: Who is your favorite fighter and why?
Trevor Smandych: Mike Miles. He was exciting to watch and very inspirational to me. It would be great to watch him fight again.
Martial Arts Alberta: You are respected around the world for your skills, yet in Calgary you receive very little press. How do you feel about this?
Trevor Smandych: I think Kickboxers and Thai boxers train very hard. I do not understand how the other sports get so much coverage and we get very little. They are not training any harder than us.
Martial Arts Alberta: What is your favorite fighting techniques?
Trevor Smandych: I love the knee and the clinch now. I also love the roundhouse kick. Our gym is also known in the Muay Thai circle for our use of the elbow. Even the Thai's know to watch out for our elbow skills.
Martial Arts Alberta: What are your goals in the sport?
Trevor Smandych: 1999 was one of the toughest years I have had. I broke my hand in Thailand (February 1999) which put me on the back burner for fighting throughout most of the beginning of the year. Then I busted up my shins and legs on 2 athletes heads (June and July 1999) before I fought in August. By the time I fought there I was so banged up that I could not even really hit my opponent. I want to rest up and heal and then I want to fight to become a Professional World Champion. It would be nice to start making some money as a fighter.
Martial Arts Alberta: Who is the most influential person in your life?
Trevor Smandych: My parents and my family are for sure. I think my coach Mike Miles has influenced me a lot as well.
Martial Arts Alberta: An Interview with Trevor "T.N.T." Smandych
Sunday, July 20, 2008Contender Asia Season 2 - Canadian Qualifier Trevor ‘TNT’ Smandych
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
With Season One of the wildly popular Contender Asia program wrapping up in April, it did not take long for the World Muay Thai Council and the group behind reality shows such as The Contender, Survivor etc to decide that it would be followed up by a second season.
Contender Asia pits the best Muay Thai practitioners in the world against each other with, in the ring fights and adventurous challenges. The winner taking home a large cash prize and the right to be named “The Contender Asia Champion” Last year’s event featured Canadian Trevor ‘TNT’ Smandych as well as Muay Thai legends Naurapol and Yodsanklai Fairtex and well known Australian John Wayne Parr.
Mike Miles and CAKMA have been given the unique and distinct honor to host the Canadian Qualifier Event for Season Two. The event will be a super 8 format, with 8 fighters battling it out in a single elimination tournament with the winner representing Canada on season Two of The Contender Asia!!
Calgary’s own Jesse ‘Smiles’ Miles has been confirmed as the first entrant in the tournament. Over the summer we will continue to announce participants as contracts are signed.
To add even further steam to a tremendous event, Season One participant and Calgary Muay Thai golden boy, Trevor ‘TNT’ Smandych will compete in a SUPERFIGHT! Smandych’s opponent will be named soon.
Expect other Calgary athletes to be named to the Undercard and additional super fights!
Main Event
Contender Asia – Canadian Qualifier featuring Jesse Miles!
Superfight featuring Trevor ‘TNT’ Smandych
- Location: Calgary Telus Convention Centre
- Tickets: $50-$150
- Tickets available at: Welcome to TicketWeb! (on sale soon)
- Mike Miles Muay Thai – 6041 – 6th Street SE (403 244-8424)
- National Kickboxing NW - #25, 7750 Ranchview Dr. NW (403 208-1296)
Professional bouts sanctioned by the World Muay Thai Council (WMC) and the Calgary Combative Sports Commission License # 125044 Amateur bouts are sanctioned by the Canadian Muay Thai Council – Amateur (CMTC-A). Changes to the line up can occur at any time and are beyond the control of the Promoter. 6 Bouts Guaranteed! This event is brought to you by Mike Miles Muay Thai and the executive and membership of the Calgary Amateur Kickboxing and Muay Thai Association (CAKMA a registered not for profit association) Thanks for your continued support of CAKMA, Mike Miles and Muay Thai in Calgary!!!
Trevor TNT Smandych
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Trevor Smandych is one of the most outstanding fighters to emerge from Canada, with a raft of international titles under his belt. Entering the world of martial arts at 11 and training in traditional karate under renowned coach Mike Miles, Trevor switched to Muay Thai and Kickboxing at 13, preferring the full contact allowed for these disciplines. After winning his first fight at 16 against a bigger opponent, coach Miles gave Trevor the nickname ‘TNT’ for his sudden and often lethal explosions in the ring.
Trevor chalked up 36 amateur wins and including the IFMA Canadian Superlightweight Muay Thai Champion title the IKF North American Superlightweight Full Contact and Kickboxing Champion titles in 1998, and the WKA World and Intercontinental Superlightweight Muay Thai Champion titles in 1999. Trevor has represented Canada at the IFMA World Championships Turning pro soon after, Trevor continued his winning ways, capturing three WMC titles and two CMAX titles from 20002004.
Trevor also won the Muaythai against Drug Title in Thailand held in honor of His Royal Highness the Prince of Thailand . Outside the ring, Trevor is an instructor whose technical accuracy and genuine nature makes him an excellent coach. His armory includes superb elbow and knee skills, and a deadly roundhouse kick. His professional fight record stands at 24 wins (11 KOs), 4 losses and 1 draw from 29 bouts. Trevor’s ambition is to be a Professional World Muay Thai Champion.
Trevor is a Canadian fighter who represents Mike Mile's National Kickboxing gym in Calgary. Trevor has a professional record of 24-4-1.
Trevor started training in early 1991 in traditional Shorinryu Karate under his coach Mr. Mike Miles, then in 1994 he changed to Muay Thai and Kickboxing.
Personal Information
- Name: Trevor TNT Smandych
- Country: Canada
16 fighters of the Contender Asia 2008 including Trevor Smandych
Sunday, December 2, 2007
16 fighters of the Contender Asia 2008. 16 fighters from 12 countries. The more detail about each fighters will be available soon. Here we go:
- Alain Sylvestre from Canada
- Bruce Macfie from Australia
- David Pacquette from England
- Dzhabar Askerov from United Arab Emirates
- James Martinez from USA
- John Wayne Parr from Australia
- Naruepol Fairtex from Thailand
- Jose Pitu Sans from Spain
- Rafik Bakkouri from France
- Sean Wright from Scotland
- Soren Mongkontong from Australia
- Trevor Smandych from Canada
- Yodsaenklai from Thailand
- “Yukay” Joakim Karlsson from Sweden
- Zig Zach from Singapore
- Zidov Dominik from Switzerland
Asian muscle mayhem attracts Canadian fighters Trevor Smandych and Alain Sylvestre
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
A reality show with blood, guts, heart-tugging drama and a dash of comedy is making waves in the Far East. Contender Asia, the Asian version of the American boxing reality show pits the thoughts and actions of 16 hand-picked Muay Thai fighters from around the world.
The show follows 16 aspiring kickboxers including two Canadians from training camp through an evolving series of outdoor challenges and real, sanctioned matches over 16 episodes. For the first eight episodes, the winner of the fight-of-the-week will be rewarded with a guaranteed spot in the Quarter Finals. After four weeks of these Quarter Finals, two weeks of Semi-Finals will follow. The total prize pool is US$250,000.
In the show’s last week, the final victor will claim the title of Contender Champion and the money prize. The two Canadians on the show are Trevor Smandych and Alain Sylvestre, the current holder of Canada’s Middleweight Muay Thai Championship title.
The Contender Asia website says Quebec-born Alain lives in Ottawa and trains at Ronin MMA. A hard worker, he puts a lot of heart into his fights and will be a tough opponent to wear down. Alain has fought at many international events around the world.
Trevor Smandych is one of the most outstanding fighters to emerge from Canada, with a raft of international titles under his belt. Entering the world of martial arts at 11 and training in traditional karate under renowned coach Mike Miles, Trevor switched to Muay Thai and kickboxing at 13, preferring the full contact form allowed in these disciplines. After winning his first fight at 16 against a much larger opponent, coach Miles gave Trevor the nickname ‘TNT’ for his sudden and often lethal explosions in the ring.
Trevor has represented Canada at the IFMA World Championships. Outside the ring, Trevor is an instructor whose technical accuracy and genuine nature makes him an excellent coach. His armory includes superb elbow and knee skills, and a deadly roundhouse kick. Trevor’s ambition is to be a Professional World Muay Thai Champion.
At a press conference held in Singapore recently, Riaz Mehta, the CEO of Imagine Omni Media and executive producer of Contender Asia, said: “We have established a new standard in Asian television and raised the bar in Asian productions based in Asia. Putting together this program, we’ve done an Asian first, it was made here, and it’s being distributed in the United States.”